Trevor Coopersmith
Urban Art Scholarship
Due to the unprecidented Los Angeles fires which destroyed over 16,000 homes, there is no 2024 recipient. Funds for the scholarship were donated towards various foundations and organizations which assisted with L.A. fire relief. This decision was also due to low application numbers which will roll over towards 2025. Applications are open until 12/31/25
2023 Recipient Annikah Goddard
"My commitment to positive change extends beyond my art. I served as the Co-Chair of
Doernbecher Children Hospital’s Kids Making Miracles Council, was a member of Youth and
Government advocating for educational expansion at my State Capitol, and was the founder/leader of
various Black youth organizations. Having mentored and tutored high school students applying to
colleges, particularly art schools, I am committed to inspiring and supporting other artists as well.
My art reflects my personal experiences and is a commentary on matters close to me and those
impacting the world in different places and ways. I utilize a diverse range of influences, pulling from
Renaissance, Impressionist, African, and Haitian art, to create pieces that tell complex stories. Although
I draw from these artistic movements, I combine the elements to create new styles and artistic
methods. Through storytelling and emotional connection, I aim to engage viewers in a dialogue about
identity, culture, and societal challenges. My recent piece, "Paradi," explores the impact of colonization
in the Caribbean, offering a vision of what Haiti could be without external influences, highlighting the
beauty of my culture while addressing the disconnect experienced by first and second-generation
immigrants."
Mission Statement: The scholarship foundation identifies artistically driven individuals who incorporate art into creatively benefiting their community. Financial support is given to one student selected per year, after reviewing scholarship applications from March 1st to December 31st. The award of $350.00 is granted on January 31st to winning participant, based on artistic work and essay, to support the drive to obtain a career in the arts and to promote creative civil engagement for years to come. The Urban Art Scholarship was started by college student and artist, Trevor Coopersmith in 2016. Trevor graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with no parental financial support or student loans, despite rising tuition fees nationwide. Working four part-time jobs, attending Community College, selling artwork and obtaining scholarships assisted in his dream to graduate from a prestigious university debt free, which sparked his drive to aid others. Trevor is a current MFA student at Otis College of Art & Design which will also help aid in his ambitions of teaching art as a college professor. Trevor makes it a goal to donate his work and beautify his community on a regular basis, knowing that creative support always goes full circle. Purpose: The Urban Art Scholarship is to provide youth with hope for financial and educational support. The foundation was created to support the art in the community for future generations; and to provide inspiration for artists who wish to pursue a career in the arts.
Past Recipients 2022 Recipient Ethan Harrer https://www.ethanharrer.com/home 2021 Recipient Bagus Azhari Tosadapotto https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balapkarung.jpg 2020 Recipient Charu Jain https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/2-charu-jain 2019 Recipient Elaina Eberz http://spraguehs.com/students/students15/eberz_elaina/bootstrap-site/bootstrap-site-index.html 2018 Recipient Symone Tatiana https://www.symonetitania.com 2017 Recipient Douglas Kleinsmith https://douglaskleinsmith.com/home.html
How to Apply Application submission period: March 1st - December 31st, Annually Hello Students! Below is the information regarding the application prompt and portfolio requirements. Please follow all guidelines and review carefully! Essay Applications must include an essay discussing several topics. (300-500 words) a. Introduce yourself and discuss goals as an artist, potential barriers b. Describe your work as an artist, and how it applies to the Urban Art Scholarship c. Discuss how the scholarship will benefit you and your community Portfolio Applications must Include 3-5 images/ video/ stills of your work a. High quality, JPG, PNG, .MOV .DOCX b. Confirm portfolio images are described in essay c. Crop all images and avoid showing anything besides your work Signed Contract a. Print contract or open with PDF editor b. Manually or electronically sign/ date contract c. Take photo or save as PDF d. Email JPG or PDF signed scholarship contract agreement, along with essay and portfolio to: Trevorcoopersmith@gmail.com [subject] Trevor Coopersmith Urban Art Scholarship Feel free to include any other images, websites, awards, or financial documents which may affect your application. Good luck! Contract in PDF below
