Lancaster arts foundation awards annual scholarship

The Perfuming Arts Scholarship for 2026 of the Lancaster Performing Arts Center Foundation (LPACF) in the amount of $5,000 has been awarded to Priscilla Were. She graduated this year from Desert High School in Edwards and will be studying Musical theatre at the University of California, San Diego this fall.

News of such special scholarship awards can be made known throughout a community with mailers as well as flyer printing.

There were 17 applicants for this scholarship of which three participated in a finalist interview and live audition. Guest judge Mike "B Mike Rob" Robinson was part of the panel that made the final decision.

Were graduated from the Career and Technical Education Theater and Performing Arts Program. Since seventh grade, she has designed, directed, written, and performed in over a dozen productions. For the Honors Performance Series in February 2026 at Carnegie Hall, she was named Best Leading Actress as well as three times for her school productions.

President of the Board of the LPACF, Steven Derryberry, said:



“The Foundation is committed to cultivating the next generation of artists through financial support and recognition, and Priscilla represents exactly the kind of dedication this scholarship was created to honor.”




The Lancaster Performing Arts Center is supported by LPACF, which is a non-profit organization that provides support for educational programming for young people, community performing arts grants, and artist fees subsidies, among other means of support.