Student Creative Artist Award
About the Award
The City of Sonoma Cultural and Fine Arts Commission's Student Creative Artist Award Program began in 1988 as the Honorarium Program. It changed to the Steve Silver High School Honorarium in 1992, and became the Student Creative Arts Award Program in 2002. It is open to Sonoma Valley residents who reside within the Sonoma Valley School District boundary and are either in their junior or senior year, who demonstrate unusual promise in the visual, literary or performing arts.
The City's Cultural and Fine Arts Commission reviews the entries and selects finalists for an in-person interview at a public meeting. The CFAC then selects a winner who is awarded up to $2,000 cash award to be used for the furtherance of their artistic abilities, education or career.
How to Enter for Consideration
When the application period opens, each applicant must submit an "Artist Statement" of 200-500 words explaining the role that art has played in their life and their plans for continuing their artistic training, along with samples of the best work. Finalists are asked to participate in an interview process during a public meeting with the commission members.
The online application period is typically open in February, with submissions due in April. Subscribe to receive the City's e-newsletter and stay informed about this award and other important City news and updates.
Award Recipients
| YEAR | NAME | MEDIUM | SCHOOL | AWARD |
| 2025 | Teagan Rhodes | Video | SVHS | $2000 |
| 2025 | Margaret (Maggie) Brown | Visual Arts | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) |
| 2025 | Tallulah Kimball | Theater | Sonoma Academy | $200 (Merit Award) |
| 2024 | Noa Malone | Music | SVHS | $2,000 |
| 2023 | Grace Atkinson | Visual Arts | SVHS | $2,000 |
| Sydney Chapin | Visual Arts | SVHS | $1,000 (Merit Award) | |
| 2022 | Rue Gobbee | Visual Arts | SVHS | $2,000 |
| 2020 & 2021 | Hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | |||
| 2019 | Adrienne "Adie" Valavanis | Animation | College for Creative Studies | $2,000 |
| George Stewart | Film Production | SVHS | $975 (Merit Award) | |
| Eden Llodra | Music - Cellist | San Domenico High School | $975 (Merit Award) | |
| 2018 | Alexandra Garber | Cinematography | SVHS | $2,000 |
| Lauren Smith | Photography | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| 2017 | Natalie Palmgren | Ballet | Rincon Valley Christian School | $2,000 |
| Aaron Marcus-Willers | Music | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| Owen Summers | Animation, Music, Design | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| 2016 | Kaylin Riebli | Visual | SVHS | $2,000 |
| Lucy Houghton | Visual | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| Anika Ljung | Performing | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| 2015 | Jeffrey Peterson | Music Composition | SV High, UOP | $2,000 |
| 2014 | Maya Harris | Studio Art / Music | SVHS | $2,000 |
| Siena Guerrazzi | Creative Writing | Justin-Siena | $500 (Merit Award) | |
| 2013 | Maya Smoot | Theater Arts | SVHS | $2,000 |
| 2012 | Esmeralda Chavez-Mata | Visual Arts | SVHS | $2,000 |
| Barret Wilber | Musician (Piano) | SVHS | $500 (Merit Award)* | |
| 2011 | Sarah Summers | Singer/Guitarist | SVHS | $2,000 |
| 2010 | Michael Starr | Singer | Justin-Siena | $2,000 |
| 2009 | Transition from May to December, no program | |||
| 2008 | Yvette Rico | Visual Arts | $2,000 | |
| 2007 | Christina Wright | Creative Writing | $1,000 | |
| Max Simonet | Performing Arts | $1,000 | ||
| 2006 | Rebecca Evans | Creative Writing | $1,000 | |
| Andres Rico | Performing Arts | $1,000 | ||
| Ashley Aguilar | Visual Arts | $1,000 | ||
| 2005 | Travis Lyons | Creative Writing | $1,000 | |
| Corinne Stubbs | Performing Arts | $1,000 | ||
| Julian Geoghegan | Visual Arts | $1,000 | ||
| 2004 | Ariel Fintushel | Creative Writing | $500 | |
| Morgan Harrington | Performing Arts | $500 | ||
| Ryan Jensen | Visual Arts | $500 | ||
| 2003 | Michael Sullivan | $500 | ||
| Kim Jones | $500 | |||
| Sarah Shimizu | $500 | |||
| 2002 | Emily Reading | Creative Writing | $500 | |
| Tara Zombres | Performing Arts | $500 | ||
| Yesenia Salas Chavira | Visual Arts | $500 | ||
| In 2002 funds from the Steve Silver Foundation ran out and the program became the Student Creative Arts Award and was funded by the City of Sonoma | ||||
| 2001 | Antony Benedetti | Creative Writing | $500 | |
| Danielle Kardum | Performing Arts | $500 | ||
| Drew Pickering | Visual Arts | $500 | ||
| 2000 | Holly Chadwin | $500 | ||
| Nika Erikson | $500 | |||
| Jacob Steuter | $500 | |||
| 1999 | Joe Chretien | Performing Arts | $500 | |
| Elizabeth Rawls | Performing Arts | $500 | ||
| Christopher Lee | Visual Arts | $500 | ||
| 1998 | Giovanni Benedetti | Creative Writing | $250 | |
| Mollie Martin | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Nathaniel Aslasken | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| 1997 | No information available | |||
| 1996 | No information available | |||
| 1995 | Josh Gooch | Literary Arts | $250 | |
| Nick Donnelly | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Maggie McKnight | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| 1994 | Leah Bonstead | Literary Arts | $250 | |
| Elizabeth Dilley | Literary Arts | $250 | ||
| Ben Rawls | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| William Garcia | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Aaron Drake | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Caroline Hipkiss | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| JoAnn Wilcox | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| 1993 | Kathryn Ogaz | Literary Arts | $250 | |
| Rosalicia Barragan | Literary Arts | $250 | ||
| Sam Riesberg | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Rachael Lyerla | Performing Arts | $250 | ||
| Gian Sadoti | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| Kelly Jordon | Visual Arts | $250 | ||
| 1992 | Jeremy Russell | Literary Arts | $200 | |
| Coleen McGrane | Literary Arts | $200 | ||
| Jenny Casciani | Visual Arts | $200 | ||
| Ramon Robles | Visual Arts | $200 | ||
| 1991 | Ion Meyn | Literary Arts | $200 | |
| Hosanna Broderick | Literary Arts | $200 | ||
| Seth Kinmont | Visual Arts | $200 | ||
| 1990 | Andy Mannie | Literary Arts | $200 | |
| Jackie Hipkiss | Visual Arts | $200 | ||
| 1989 | Sabina Piersol | Literary Arts | $200 | |
| Fawn Scullion-Smith | Visual Arts | $200 | ||
| 1988
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The program began in 1988 and was called the “Honorarium Program”, the minutes do not reflect the names of the award recipients. There were two $100 awards to graduating seniors, one for visual arts and one for literary arts
* Funds Raised by Sarah Summers |
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