The Ministry of Community Affairs and Sports is pleased to highlight the latest Bermuda Arts Council (BAC) Student Grant awardees who collectively received $25,000 in funding.
This year the Ministry awarded three Student Grants to the following individuals:
- $10,000 to Mackenzie Costa – BFA Graphic Design, California Institute of the Arts.
- $10,000 to Photini-Dawn Ingham – Diploma Photography, Durham College of Applied Arts & Technology.
- $5,000 to Sabriyya Harvey – BFA Visual Arts, Mount Allison University.
Minister Foggo said, “We’re extremely pleased to be able to continue supporting our young Bermudian artists and creatives in this way. The Bermuda Arts Council was created with the intent of promoting awareness of the value of arts and its continued development and growth to Bermuda’s society, particularly for our young people. The BAC Grants provide invaluable financial assistance to our young people. And we see this as vital for the enhancement and strengthening of the arts and culture in our community. On this occasion, the Ministry is pleased to do what it can to support artistic excellence and creativity.”
Upon receiving their Student Grants, the young artists offered the following:
Mackenzie Costa ($10K):
“I am going into my second year at California Institute of the Arts -a prestigious art university founded by Walt Disney- and completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design, as well as a Digital Arts Minor (in UI/UX Design). With only accepting up to 15 graphic design students a year, the exceptionally selective program has already connected me with influential graphic designers such as Edward Fella. This opportunity has allowed me to grow and obtaining a scholarship from the Bermuda Arts Council will significantly help me be able to stay and learn from such remarkable faculty. By studying abroad, I am networking and getting out of my comfort zone. I trust that this is a way that I will excel and produce my best work for Bermuda.”
Photini-Dawn Ingham ($10K):
“I am studying photography at Durham College in Canada and am looking to complete a third year of video production. I am looking forward to continuing my schooling and gaining as much knowledge as I can. This grant is a great blessing, it gives me a chance to complete my schooling and to pursue my passion with a career in the arts.”
Sabriyya Harvey ($5K):
“I would like to express my thanks in receiving this award. As I enter my final year of my Bachelor of Fine Arts program, I hope to continue my studies in painting and sculpture with a focus on Bermudian history and my own identity. Following my studies at Mount Allison University I intend to enter the Education field with the hopes of returning to the island and teaching my craft to future generations. Receiving this award will immensely help in my studies as it means that I can return to school during these uncertain times. I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and am looking forward to a year of hard work.”
BAC Chair Jennifer Phillips concluded, “As part of our mission to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the Arts, the Bermuda Arts Council recognizes the importance of supporting the next generation of local artists. We therefore formalized the Student Grant Awards in 2013, earmarking a significant portion of our annual budget to support students in all facets of the Arts. This year, the three successful applicants are all students of the visual arts. Each of them presented strong applications and high-quality portfolios of their work. We are delighted to assist them on their educational path, and look forward to their artistic contributions in the future.”