Sonoma’s Cultural and Fine Arts Commission (CFAC) is seeking entries for the 2025 Student Creative Artist Award, a program open to high school juniors and seniors within the Sonoma Valley Unified School District boundary.

Eligible students are those who demonstrate exceptional promise in the visual, literary, or performing arts. The deadline for submissions is April 2 at 5 p.m. and the entry form and submission guidelines can be found on the city’s website: sonomacity.org.

Since the program’s launch in 1988, the Sonoma CFAC has awarded over $60,000 to more than 80 student artists in various artistic disciplines. Areas include visual arts, animation, film, production, music, cinematography, photography, dance, design, theater arts, and creative writing.

Interested students can submit an online application that includes samples of their best work in one of the eligible disciplines and a 250-500 word artist statement, explaining the role art has played in their life and future aspirations.

Students may submit separate entry forms for multiple disciplines but are limited to one entry per discipline.

Students will be notified and scheduled for interviews by April 9. Finalists must be available for an in-person interview with CFAC commissioners during their regular meeting at 6 p.m. on April 15 or 22. Winners will receive up to a $2,000 cash award to further their artistic abilities, education, or career.

Comprehensive judging rubrics are available for review on the online entry form, located at www.sonomacity.org/documents/student-creative-artist-award-entry-form/. For more information and a list of past recipients, visit www.sonomacity.org/student-creative-artist-award/.

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Molloy at [email protected].