Red Door 104 and Southside Community Development Alliance (SCDA) are partnering to offer art scholarships to students at Prince Edward County Elementary School, Prince Edward County Middle School and homeschooled students.

The Quentin Wilhelmi Art Scholarship is an annual, need-based full art scholarship to Red Door 104’s youth art program. The scholarships have developed from a shared mission between the two organizations to provide opportunities in the arts for underprivileged children and young adults.

Teachers and family members are encouraged to identify gifted art students. Following an application and interview process, one student from the elementary school, one student from the middle school and two homeschooled students will be awarded the scholarships and participate in the art programs.

Students in the art program can explore painting, drawing, working with clay, recycle art, zen doodle, steam punk, paint pouring and much more.

The art program is divided into three parts: The first part, weekly art classes, takes place between February to April of 2020. The second part includes a week-long summer camp session of the student’s choice. The final part, weekly art classes, takes place between September and January, offering students eight months of total art instruction. This would normally cost $1,000 per student.

Dr. Jamaal Johnston, founder of SCDA, said in a statement that the program has expanded to reach more homeschooled students in Southside Virginia.

““The arts expose the students to a new world,” Johnston said. “I’m happy that we are able to expand the program, and we hope that the program will continue to grow.”

Audrey Sullivan, founder of Red Door 104, said in a statement the scholarship is named and inspired after her late father-in-law Quentin Wilhelmi.

“What we look for is teachers’ knowledge of students who have real artistic talent and drive but who come from a single-income family or who have fallen on hard times,” Sullivan said.

Members of the community can donate to the scholarship fund online and at the studio.

Students at Prince Edward County Elementary School and Prince Edward County Middle School can submit their applications and original art samples to the respective schools’ front offices. Homeschooled students can find and submit applications at 104 N Main St. in Farmville.

To learn more or to donate to the art scholarship fund, visit scdava.org and reddoor104.com.