Arts Council Announces Student Grant Awardees
The Bermuda Arts Council has awarded three $8,000 student grants to Bermudian artists Nicole Smith, Zen Mello and Krystal Lowe to support their studies in fashion, animation and creative writing.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Arts Council [BAC], the Department of Culture’s main external funding body, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026 student grant, highlighting the organisation’s continued dedication to supporting Bermudian students advancing their artistic studies. This year, the BAC awarded three $8,000 grants to three extraordinary Bermudians devoted to the expansion of their craft as they contribute to Bermuda’s cultural landscape.”
Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport Owen Darrell said, “Investing in our young artists is an investment in Bermuda’s cultural future. These grants provide talented Bermudians with the opportunity to pursue their studies, strengthen their creative voices and bring new ideas and perspectives to the world. I congratulate Nicole, Zen, and Krystal on this achievement and look forward to seeing how their continued development enriches Bermuda’s creative community.”
The Government spokesperson said, “The following students have been selected for the 2026 student grant:
- Nicole Smith – Nottingham Trent University | Bachelor of Arts in Creative Direction and Curation for Fashion
“Through her studies, Nicole has explored a range of creative career paths and gained experience through fashion vendor opportunities focused on secondhand clothing, connecting her with Nottingham’s growing fashion community. She shared that the past year has broadened her interests beyond fashion and opened her to different career possibilities.
“As an aspiring creative director, Nicole hopes to use her work to amplify underrepresented voices and communicate meaningful messages. She continues to draw inspiration from her own experiences and hopes to contribute to greater recognition and opportunities for artists like her.
- Zen Mello – Arts University Bournemouth | Bachelor of Arts in Animation Production
“Zen uses video and animation to address issues he has encountered in Bermuda, including the school ID system, summer school, and the public bus system. His work has received first-place awards, and he was selected to represent Bermuda in the NFTE Global Entrepreneurship Challenge.
“Inspired by his own experiences on the Island, Zen hopes to build a career in animation while also giving back to the community by creating opportunities for other artists to develop their craft. He is particularly interested in animation’s potential to communicate meaningful ideas beyond its role as entertainment.
- Krystal Lowe – Cardiff Metropolitan University | Master of Arts in English Literature and Creative Writing
“Krystal has had a longstanding interest in writing and shared that she has wanted to be a writer since childhood, influenced in part by her mother’s work as a freelance writer for the Bermuda Sun. In 2019, she completed her first written dance-theatre work, Whimsy, which she later self-published in 2022.
“She has also written and directed short films including Rewild, Daughters of the Sea, Seven, and Remarkable Rhythm. Following completion of her MA, Krystal plans to pursue a PhD, with the aim of teaching intersectional feminist literature at university level while continuing her work as a published author.
“To learn more, about the BAC student grant, please visit www.artscouncil.bm.”
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Congratulations and all the best to each of you. It is so beautiful seeing young Bermudians go outside the boxes to chase after meaningful opportunities.
So proud of my son Zen Marley Mello and the other Awardees????Keep pursuing your dreams because you are magic✨
Sorry about the ??? Marks in my post. Don’t know how I didn’t see that before I posted it. I am incredibly proud of all of our Bermudian Awardees and can’t wait to see where their dreams and talent leads them.