Bridgeport Art Trail Launches the
“Ricky Mestre Artists Serving Community Award”
The short version of the mission statement for City Lights/ Bridgeport Art Trail is “to serve the community through art.” There are continual examples of Bridgeport Art Trail artists who actualize this goal year after year. When funds allow, and the synergy is right, the CL/BAT compensates and recognizes those with whom we collaborate. In an effort to develop a more deliberate attempt to support artists who serve the community through their art, the 2024 BAT initiates the Ricky Mestre Artist Serving Community Award.
Unlike some awards that are created in memory of an individual, the BAT chose to name this award after a deserving living artist, Ricky Mestre, who maintains his Bridgeport art studio at the Knowlton.
2024 Winner Ricky Mestre
The list of causes Ricky supports with his art and compassion are endless, ranging from healthcare and public awareness during the COVID crisis to social and cultural causes. 14 years ago, his vision, conviction, and perseverance initiated the first Queer art exhibit in CT, collaborating with City Lights Gallery. He organized and served as the chairperson and co-curator of the exhibit, and successively built-out the annual Greater Bridgeport Pride Celebration to be bigger and better. His courage, pride, and vision started with an exhibit, later adding an outdoor party, variety show, and Pride march. The success of this event attracted new energy and philanthropic support to establish the Bridgeport Pride Center, filling a void in the community. This is an example of the ripple effect and leadership that artists serving the community can provide. City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail is grateful and proud to support this effort.
Ricky is a living example of art serving the community! The list of causes Ricky has championed is unending. Among these include serving as co-captain for the NY Aids Walk for 12 years, performing in local theatre productions, and training youth through a TV broadcasting workshop at Soundview Public Access TV station where he is the training manager. He frequently performs and donates his art for important causes and fundraisers.
Ricky Mestre’s Acceptance Speech
“It’s a privilege and an honor to stand here and accept this award and also, very interesting, to receive an award named after myself while I’m still alive to appreciate the recognition.
As a member of several different communities, I recognize the importance of it.
As a Puerto Rican, I value the culture, language, food and contributions of our people. And get insulted when people say and agree that it's garbage.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I appreciate its Pride and diversity and stand in solidarity with the parts of it that get attacked.
As a person with a hearing impairment, I understand the struggles of living with a disability and how much harder people with disabilities have to work on things that come so easily for most people.
As an American, I participate in elections that help shape the nation in ways I feel will benefit us to keep our nation one full of freedoms and opportunities for all.
As an artist I look for things that inspire my creativity and use it to speak about things that matter to me. Particularly, my communities.
The value of service stems from my family, who have always been very giving, even when we didn’t have a lot. It comes from my colleagues who I’ve worked with in different events, nonprofit organizations and schools.
Being an artist, I have the advantage of having a mindset that allows me to think creatively, expressively and outside of the box. It is something I hold very dear to my heart but not to be held so tightly that it’s not shared.
When my time comes, I will take with me only the mind that allowed the thought process of my creativity to occur. And I will leave behind whatever creations I made based off it.
Sometimes we take for granted and forget about the power we have to inspire others. Use it. Someone is watching you and is grateful for what you do.
It would be my hope that the creation of this award will inspire current and future leaders of our community to use their skills and talents in a way that provokes, promotes and benefits others.”
2025 Winner Yolanda Vasquez Petrocelli
As an elder artist of the Bridgeport art community, the BAT recognizes Yolanda Vasquez Petrocelli with the 2nd Annual Ricky Award, given to an artist annually for “Serving Community Through Art.” Yolanda is from Mexico City, where she studied at the Academia de San Carlos. In 1979 she received her BFA in Photography and Printmaking from the University of Texas at Austin, TX. Her work has been exhibited from New York City to LA and throughout CT. She has adopted the current techniques of digital photography, to produce multilayered self-portraits, creating mythical dreamlike imagery, reflecting the magical surrealism of her cultural heritage that flows freely through her art and her life.
Loved and respected by many, Yolanda and her art have made an impact as a teacher to youth and a friend to aspiring creatives, especially Latina women. She has opened her heart and her home to many and has art friends and relationships throughout the region.
She shares her ‘connections’ with many emerging artists, offering opportunities that have furthered their careers and artistic insight. Living in Fairfield County for decades where she raised her daughter Maya, she has made Bridgeport her home, as one of the first tenants of the Read’s ArtSpace building. Over the years, Yolanda has collaborated on many Latino art projects and exhibits. She initiated and curated the biennial exhibit Latinissimo at City Lights Gallery for several years.The 2024 biennale was Bridgeport’s largest group exhibit of Latino artists from North America and Latin America, taking place at both City Lights and Read’s ArtSpace gallery.
2026 Winner Shanna Melton
A BAT tradition in its 3rd year is the Ricky Award, recognizing those with whom we collaborate by selecting an outstanding artist who fulfills the City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail nonprofit mission to serve the community through art. The 2026 Ricky Award artist is Shanna Melton. She shares her commitment, love, and talent in art and poetry with the greater community in the NY-CT region, inspiring visual artists and writers of all ages and backgrounds. For 20 years she has led the Writer’s Group, a free writers’ meet up sponsored by City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail. Shanna is a true creative empath leveraging her perspective, art, and poetry for social justice. Shanna has received several awards over the years including the CT Arts Hero. She is an arts educator through Arts for Learning and a Certified Non-Violence Facilitator for the CT Center for Nonviolence. She is a true asset to the Bridgeport arts community.
