For DonorsFor Applicants

Devin Chase Vancil Art and Music Scholarship

Funded by
user profile avatar
Fran Vancil
$1,563
1 winner$1,563
Open
Application Deadline
Feb 24, 2025
Winners Announced
Mar 24, 2025
Education Level
High School, Undergraduate
7
Contributions
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High School or Undergraduate Student
Intended Major:
Art or Music

Devin Chase Vancil was an avid lover of both art and music. 

Creative modes of expression, such as music and the arts, allow us as humans to connect with others, share personal experiences, and inspire those around us.

All forms of creative expression add beauty and color to a world that often appears bleak in our day to day lives. 

Art and music programs in US public schools are given less and less funding each year, with especially detrimental cuts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scholarship supports the continuation of musical and artistic education and expression.

This scholarship is meant for a high school or undergraduate student with plans to major in either art or music.

Any high school or undergraduate student who is currently pursuing a major in art and/or music or plans to major in art and/or music, may apply for this scholarship. 

To apply, tell us about yourself and why you think art and music are important to society. Then, submit a photo of your portfolio or a video of yourself playing music.


Selection Criteria:
Essay, Portfolio, Art, Music, Passion
Published September 4, 2024
Essay Topic

Tell us a bit about yourself. Why do you think art and/or music is important to society?

400–600 words

Winning Application

Logan Garcia
Columbia College ChicagoDyer, IN
My work explores the importance of queer history and historical figures through mixed media portraits. I depict historical figures using mediums and unconventional materials that symbolically connect to their life and historical importance. Details of their lives, such as Oscar Wilde’s tomb and Marsha P. Johnson’s struggles with poverty, dictate my medium and directly connect my art-making process to each subject. I avoid repeating a medium or technique to make each piece visually distinct in order to showcase the various types of lives these people led. My work always begins with extensive research on the subject. Documentaries, biographies, interviews, and work written by the historical figure are the driving force of my work. Once I have researched my subject, I experiment with my medium and its application. Since my work is mixed media my approach to making a piece is never the same. I start by learning the basics of my medium, such as sewing or scratch board. I then explore the limitations of my material and how to use those limitations to elevate the concept of the piece. For example I was inspired by the color limitation of scratchboard, so I explored using similar techniques on other easily scratched surfaces like vinyl records. As a young queer person who doesn’t have queer elders in my life, I look towards our history for reassurance and community. The lives and tribulations of historical figures assure me that I am not alone in my experiences. I aim to inform viewers of the deeply rich and often forgotten history of the queer community. We have existed in every pocket of history from ancient Greece to the Space Race. Though the vocabulary we use to define gender and sexuality continue to evolve, looking back at our history contextualizes the progress we have made and the progress that still must be done. I share the stories of these people in hopes to provide the same reassurance and sense of community that they have brought me to other queer people. I use my art to connect and remember our history. I believe art is important to preserve and commentate current events when words fail to properly express our feelings. History classes will never be able to capture the love and suffering the historical figures I paint have faced. My art expresses the lives of these people in more meaningful ways than documentaries and textbooks. Without art we lose what brings people and new ideas together. Art forces you to see the world in new ways.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Feb 24, 2025. Winners will be announced on Mar 24, 2025.