scholarship winners

2024 Winner

Originally founded in 1978 to bring artists to the city for a street festival, in 1981 the Board of the non-profit decided to fund an annual scholarship for Lakewood seniors continuing to art school. After the Festival, the Board will present $4,000 to the 2024 recipient, Amalija Marich. Amalija, Lakewood High School Class of 2024, will begin her studies this year at the Rhode Island School of Art and Design. Her focus will be illustration and is looking forward to improving and developing with creative focus.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Amalija Marich

2023 Winner

Originally founded in 1978 to bring artists to the city for a street festival, in 1981 the Board of the non-profit decided to fund an annual scholarship for Lakewood seniors continuing to art school. After the Festival, the Board will present $4,000 to the 2023 recipient, Eliza Dreger, who will will begin study at Ohio University this fall majoring in Studio Art.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Eliza Dreger

2022 Winner

Originally founded in 1978 to bring artists to the city for a street festival, in 1981 the Board of the non-profit decided to fund an annual scholarship for Lakewood seniors continuing to art school. After the Festival, the Board will present $4,000 to the 2022 recipient, Inga Wilhelmy, who will attend the Rhode Island School of Design this fall.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Inga Wilhelmy

2021 Winner

Congratulations to the 2021 Recipient of the $4,000 scholarship: Nola Williams-Riseng, Lakewood High School Class of 2021. Nola will be attending the Cleveland Institute of Art in the fall. Regarding her interest in the arts, Nola said “Art has always been my passion and my favorite subject. My ultimate goal is using art as a tool to unify, comfort, and fascinate others, inspiring them to take on new ideas.” We can’t wait to see the work that Nola creates going forward.

A selection of Nola’s work is on display in the library lobby. Thank you to Lakewood Public Library for celebrating the work of young artists and thank you to the talented arts educators at Lakewood High School for nurturing and developing their students.

The Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship is generously funded by supporters of the arts in our community and by the food vendors/sponsors whose generous donations go directly to the scholarship fund. We award a scholarship each year to a deserving high school graduate who resides in Lakewood and is pursuing a degree in the arts. More than 75 scholarships have been awarded since the Festival began in 1981.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Nola Williams-Riseng

2020 Winners

Congratulations to the 2020 Recipient of the $4,000 scholarship: Esther Dolatowski, Lakewood High School Class of 2020. Esther will be attending the College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University in the fall.

In light of this exceptional year, the Board was pleased to offer two additional scholarships of $1,000 each to Natalie Costello, attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago this fall and Isabella Dombrowski, attending the Cleveland Institute of Art this fall. Congratulations to all three recipients.

The Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship is generously funded by supporters of the arts in our community and by the food vendors/sponsors whose generous donations go directly to the scholarship fund. Visit lakewoodartsfest.org to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Scholarship Fund.

The Lakewood Arts Festival awards a scholarship each year to a deserving high school graduate who resides in Lakewood and is pursuing a degree in the arts. More than 70 scholarships have been awarded since the Festival began in 1981.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Esther Dolatowski

$1,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Natalie Costello

$1,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Isabella Dombrowski

2019 Winner

Congratulations to the 2019 Recipient: Lillian Horschke, Lakewood High School Class of 2019. Lillian will be attending Ohio University School of Art + Design in the fall. Regarding her work Lillian said, “I want to create, to inspire and most importantly, express myself.” Her portfolio will be on display at the Library during the Festival. Thank you to Lakewood Public Library for celebrating the work of young artists and thank you to the talented arts educators at Lakewood High School for nurturing and developing their students.

The Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship is generously funded by supporters of the arts in our community and by the food vendors/sponsors whose generous donations go directly to the scholarship fund. Visit lakewoodartsfest.org to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Scholarship Fund.

The Lakewood Arts Festival awards a scholarship each year to a deserving high school graduate who resides in Lakewood and is pursuing a degree in the arts. More than 70 scholarships have been awarded since the Festival began in 1981.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Lillian Horschke

2018 Winner

Elyza Mihalski is chosen as recipient of the 2018 Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship of $4,000.

Elyza is a 2018 graduate of Lakewood High School and will study fine art at the Cleveland Institute of Art this fall. Regarding her work, she said "Becoming a studied and well-trained artist means that I will have the tools to not only create meaningful and visually appealing art, but to give something to be proud of and to give the world something to enjoy." Work from Elyza's portfolio of paintings and drawings will be on display in Lakewood Public Library for a week near the circulation desk.

The Lakewood Arts Festival awards a scholarship each year to a deserving high school graduate who resides in Lakewood and is pursuing a degree in the arts. More than 70 scholarships have been awarded since the Festival began in 1981.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Elyza Mihalski

2017 Winner

Garrett Bodnar chosen as 2017 Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship

The 2017 recipient of the $4,000 scholarship is Lakewood High School graduate Garrett Bodnar. He will study the fine arts at the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford this fall. Garrett wants to further his art education and continue to fuel his passion to create. He envisions a career as an artist and also has interests in being a curator or creative director. Garrett said “I intend to use by art degree to create something original and hopefully positively affect the world and people around me.” Work from Garrett’s portfolio will be on display in Lakewood Public Library for a week near the circulation desk.

The Lakewood Arts Festival awards a scholarship each year to a deserving high school graduate who resides in Lakewood and is pursuing a degree in the arts. More than 70 scholarships have been awarded since the Festival began in 1981.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Garrett Bodnar

2016 Winner

Nastia Kurylyuk chosen as 2016 Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship

Nastia Kurylyuk came to the United States from her native Ukraine when she was 10 years old. Settling in Lakewood, she eventually entered Lakewood High School where she continued to pursue and expand her interest in art. Nastia is the 2016 winner of the Lakewood Arts Festival annual scholarship. She is a 2016 graduate of Lakewood High School and plans to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art in the fall.

She describes her work "The Mask I Wear" as the most conceptual art she ever produced. Her idea was that we all, in one way or another, wear a mask to hide parts of ourselves. "In my case I use makeup to hide my physical imperfections or I use a happy smile to hide my real emotions," Says Nastia. "I can appear very happy on the outside while in reality I am very sad or nervous on the inside." She says she grew tired of hiding, so in the painting she removes the mask to reveal her true self. Behind the mask is what she describes as her "true face" complete with "flaws and imperfections." She uses blues and purples in her face to show her emotional side.

"It was the first time I decided to create something with a deeper meaning instead of just drawing a pretty picture of something that I like," says Nastia. "Overall this painting was a big success and I am very proud of it." Additional works by Nastia include: “Delicious Fruit Tart," "The Human Anatomy," and "Sribniy Kuvshun," which is Ukrainian for silver jug. The work is a drawing of an elegant water jug done in ebony pencil.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Nastia Kurylyuk

2015 Winner

Jacob Corder is the 2015 Lakewood Arts Festival Chairman of the Board Scholarship winner. Jacob received a $4,000 scholarship from the Board of the Lakewood Arts Festival to use toward their college expenses. Samples of his work were on display during the Festival in early August.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Jacob Corder

2014 Winner

Andrea Tsiros is the 2014 Lakewood Arts Festival Chairman of the Board Scholarship winner. Andrea received a $4,000 scholarship from the Board of the Lakewood Arts Festival to use toward their college expenses. Samples of her work will be on display during the Festival in early August.

$4,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Andrea Tsiros
Andrea Tsiros is the recipient of the 2014 Lakewood Arts Festival Scholarship of $4,000. Andrea graduated from Lakewood High School this year and will begin her study at the Cleveland Institute of Art in the fall. Her work includes batik, line drawing, printmaking and painting/collage.

2013 Winners

Katie Millman and Rachele Paul are the 2013 Lakewood Arts Festival Chairman of the Board Scholarship winners. Katie and Rachele each received a $1,000 scholarship from the Board of the Lakewood Arts Festival to use toward their college expenses. Samples of their work will be on display during the Festival in early August.

$1,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Katie Millman
Katie Millman, a senior at Lakewood High School, will be attending Kent State University in the fall and will be studying fashion design.

$1,000 LAF Scholarship Winner:
Rachele Paul
Lakewood High School senior Rachele Paul, will also be attending Kent State University where she will be studying art education.

2012 Winners

Montaque (Monte) Cockrell is the 2012 Lakewood Arts Festival scholarship winner.

$4000 LAF Scholarship Winner: Montaque Cockrell
Heading to Toledo University to major in Printmaking

$100.00 LAF Honorable Mention Award: Bram Myers
Heading to Cleveland Institute of Art to study Art Education

$100.00 LAF Honorable Mention Award: Emily Trautmann
Heading to Kent State University to study Art Education

$100.00 LAF Honorable Mention Award: Madeleine Gowan
Heading to Cleveland Institute of Art

$100.00 LAF Honorable Mention Award: Nathan Manthey
Heading to Cleveland Institute of Art to study Painting + Industrial Design

$100.00 LAF Honorable Mention Award: Mary Kelly McKee
Heading to the University of Michigan School of Art + Design