Portsmouth's Kristina Hook was one of 16 recpients of Antonio Cirino Memorial Fund graduate fellowship grants, the Rhode Island Foundation announced today. Almost $100K was awarded to artists from around the state who are pursuing graduate degrees to teach the arts. For Hook, this was a renewal of her M.A. fellowship in art education at Rhode Island College.

"The Foundation is proud to support efforts to sustain and improve arts education through this important fellowship program," Neil Steinberg, president and chief executive officer of The Rhode Island Foundation, said in a statement. "It is widely acknowledged that including arts in school curricula enriches students' lives and enlivens the learning process. We congratulate the fellowship recipients on their talent and initiative."

The fellowships are named for Antonio Cirino, a prominent Rhode Island artist, author, and instructor whose estate established the Cirino Fund to offer fellowships for aspiring art teachers.

Cirino fellowships are given to RI resident/artists who need financial assistance toward a masters or doctorate aimed at a teaching career in the arts. The next application will be in spring 2011; a full list of scholarships offered through The Rhode Island Foundation is available in the scholarships section of the Foundation's website.

Editorial note: This one's from a press release, but I'm happy to give ink to anyone supporting the arts and education. Big hat tip to the RI Foundation and the Cirino Fund.