Currently, LVAG supports two existing scholarship programs, the Dale Karr Scholarship Fund and the Don Russell Memorial Award. The purpose and scope of those two funding programs are specifically used for the support of student artists (grades K-12); and to recognize the individual efforts of guild members by awarding individual complementary guild memberships for the upcoming year, respectively.
In setting-up the Roberto Rico Memorial Scholarship fund, we would like to create a program that, taking a page from his own life experiences, will support on-going educational experiences for adult artists at different levels and periods in their creative development, in the area of southern Nevada. While the details for implementing this program are still being considered and refined, we have set-aside an initial gift of $100 (from our general account) to start this scholarship fund and we will accept donations to help build the fund up, in order to be able to start distributing this scholarship by next year.
At this time, we are open to suggestions from members for the possible implementation of this new funding program. During the next few months we will create an application process, which will be open to all LVAG members who want to apply, as well as earmarking donations, specifically for the fund’s support. Please let us know if you are interested in being part of this process to create a strong foundation for LVAG’s Roberto Rico Memorial Scholarship program.
Current LVAG Scholarships
Dale Karr Scholarship Fund
Local Art teachers from public schools (grades K-12) are encouraged to submit plans to the Board of the Las Vegas Artists’ Guild each spring. Plans are reviewed and final Fund recipients will be chosen by the Guild’s Trustees. For example, a $700 Fund was awarded to Chaparral High School’s Art Department, which helped the students turn an unused portion of the school’s cafeteria into a versatile and stylish Art Gallery to showcase student’s work. Dale Karr was a past president of the LVAG. All donations to our Dale Karr Scholarship Fund are tax deductible.
Don Russell Memorial Award
Each year, the guild presents several awards to members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of the guild. They are awarded at the end of the year and their membership dues for the following year are waived in honor of their extraordinary efforts for the guild. The award is named after past member Don Russell, who was a talented sculptor and longtime supporter of the arts.
Roberto Rico Memorial Scholarship
Lived life at full speed, learned, won, lost, woke up, found out one has to slow down and enjoy the landscape.
– From Roberto’s Web page, THE ART OF ROBERTO RICO
Roberto Rico was a supportive and skilled artist in our community. Originally from San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, he received his arts education from (INBA) Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (the National Institute of Fine Arts, in Mexico City). Roberto’s mediums and appeal were wide-ranging, allowing him to explore and create art in Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor, Pen and Ink, Pastel, Graphite and Color Pencil, as well as Mixed Media. But as we share stories and look back on his impact on our arts community, it has become clear that his truly lasting gift to southern Nevada, and beyond our state, lay in his talent and generosity as a teacher and mentor to other artists, on a wide range of levels.
Roberto served in leadership positions in several community arts organizations over the years that he lived in Las Vegas, including as a past President of the Las Vegas Artist Guild. In light of his commitment to sharing his love for artistic expression and his ability to educate and communicate those talents with others, the Board has voted to honor Roberto’s arts legacy thru the creation of a new LVAG scholarship, in his name
