Art Scholarship

Ian Butler was one of the founding members when we opened in 1994. A fund for the 'Niagara Pumphouse Arts Scholarship' for Art Education was set up after Ian's death in 2010. The scholarship is awarded to a deserving Niagara-on-the-Lake graduating high school student pursuing a recognized post-secondary Visual Arts Programme.

In 2018, it was decided that a $200.00 Scholarship will be rewarded each year. Staff at the designated schools, A.N. Myer S.S., Laura Secord S.S. and Holy Cross S.S., submit the appropriate student applicants for final selection.

This year, the scholarship is awarded to Molly Cummings and Lia Contino.

In the photo (L to R): Lia Contino, Molly Cummings, Natalie Early

2025 Awardees

Lia Contino (Holy Cross C.S.S.)

Lia Contino is a high school senior with a lifelong passion for art, planning to pursue game design to merge her creative skills with the digital world. She has developed her talents through various art classes and will be starting this fall at Brock University in the Bachelor of Arts Game Design program. Lia looks forward to bringing bold and brilliant new designs to the gaming industry.

View Lia's Works

Molly Cummings (Laura Secord S.S.)

Molly Cummings is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores femininity and mental health, recently featured in Brock University's Drawn 2025. Alongside her visual art, she is deeply involved in theatre production, specializing in lighting design and stage management. Molly will continue her artistic journey at the National Theatre School of Canada in the Production Design and Technical Arts program.

View Molly's Works

Receiving the Arts Scholarship in 2024 was an honour and an incredible opportunity that opened many doors—not only for pursuing a career in the arts, but also for becoming more involved in the arts community. Joining the team as a summer staff member in 2025 allowed me to work in a gallery setting and teach aspiring young students who share a passion for the arts. I feel entirely grateful that I have gotten the opportunity to work with a community of kids who will likely grow up to be the next generation of young artists.

A.R.