Arts Advocates Awards $50,000 in Scholarships to 10 Local Students for the 2026-2027 School Year

Arts Advocates is pleased to announce that 10 Sarasota and Manatee county students have each been awarded $5,000 scholarships for the 2026-2027 school year. The scholarship program awards students whose studies include visual and related arts, dance, writing, music, theater, and architecture. All scholarship monies are generated through Arts Advocates activities and donations.

Trenton Bardi (Englewood) is a junior architecture major at the University of Florida. Bardi has had internships in construction and urban planning to obtain practical experience in the field. This summer he hopes to intern at an architectural firm.

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Emmalee Bunnell (Venice) will be entering her junior year at Marymount Manhattan College majoring in dance. She has been accepted to Springboard Danse’s three-week summer intensive with a focus on professional choreography. Her ambition is to develop programs that will allow aspiring dancers to participate despite any barriers they may face.

Vivianna Coppa (Bradenton) is a junior musical theater major at Jacksonville University. Her career goal is to work as a professional stage/screen actor and filmmaker, creating projects that reflect perseverance, creativity, and human connection.

Sean Jenkins (Sarasota) is a sophomore majoring in film at Ringling College of Art & Design. His areas of focus are cinematography, editing, and sound. In 2025, he was named Best Freshman Cinematographer. He plans to pursue a career in the film industry.

Isabella Juliano (Bradenton) is a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS). She is an award-winning competitive dancer and has been the captain of the LRHS dance team for two years. She will be majoring in dance at college and aspires to become a choreographer.

Spencer Schurawel (Sarasota) is a student at Riverview High School in the digital design/arts pathway of the International Baccalaureate Career Program. She will be majoring in graphic design in college and plans to pursue a career in product design – creating brands, logos, products, and marketing materials.

Michael Snyder (Venice) is a freshman at Ringling College of Art & Design. He is pursuing a B.F.A. in entertainment design. Before college, Michael developed his skills by working in the field, including his Eagle Scout project and set/prop design for a local theater. His career dream is to work at Universal Studios, creating new parks and environments to captivate guests.

Kila Sons (Sarasota) is a senior at Booker High School in the VPA theater program. Since she was nine years old, Sons knew she wanted to pursue a career in musical theater and has trained in dancing, singing, and acting every day since then. This fall, she will be continuing to develop these skills in college.

Samantha Tanelli (Sarasota) will be entering her senior year at Ringling College of Art & Design. In 2025, her work was recognized as Best Interior Painting in the juried show Best of Ringling. Her career aspirations include illustrating books and creating an inclusive art studio for children.

Danae Tran (Bradenton) is entering her senior year at Stetson University (SU). A violin performance major, she performs with the SU symphony and chamber orchestras. This summer, she performed with the SU Chamber Orchestra in Germany as co-concertmaster. Tran plans to pursue a master in violin performance and obtain an orchestra position.

Jane Sheridan, chair of the Arts Advocates scholarship team, stated, “The scholarship committee reviewed every applicant’s personal essay, talent submissions, and references to select the ‘best of the best.’ We are so pleased to support these 10 artist scholars as they continue their education in pursuit of a career in the arts.”

To learn more about or become a member of Arts Advocates, visit ArtsAdvocates.org.