Arts Wisconsin: Seeks nominations for 2017 Arts in the Community Awards

Contact: Anne Katz, Arts Wisconsin
608 255 8316
akatz@artswisconsin.org

“The Arts in the Community Awards are a wonderful way to celebrate the visionary leadership in and for the arts in Wisconsin’s communities,” says Arts Wisconsin Board of Directors President Ann Huntoon. “We’re proud to partner with the League of Municipalities to present these awards, and appreciative of the sponsors who make the awards possible.”

Arts Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s voice for the arts and leading community cultural development organization. Founded in 1992, Arts Wisconsin is the premier independent statewide membership organization speaking up and working for the arts, arts education and the creative economy across Wisconsin. The organization’s mission, to speak up, advocate for, and advance the arts, creativity and culture throughout Wisconsin, connects and serves the wide-ranging and creative constituency of people, organizations, businesses and communities making the arts come alive in every corner of Wisconsin. More info at www.artswisconsin.org.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities is a voluntary nonprofit and nonpartisan association of cities and villages that acts as an information clearinghouse, lobbying organization and legal resource for Wisconsin municipalities. More info at www.lwm-info.org.

Previous Arts in the Community Award winners are:

2016: Creative Downtown Appleton, led by Josh Dukelow, community activist and radio host, and Paula Vandehey, Director of the City of Appleton Public Works; and Alan Nugent, business and cultural tourism leader and a founder of the Widespot Performing Arts Center and the Stockholm Merchants Association in Stockholm, WI.

2015: The City of West Bend, for its commitment to promote the visual and performing arts in West Bend; and the Waunakee Creative Economy Initiative, for this Village-led, ongoing effort identify existing sources of creativity and innovation throughout the village, and foster their growth into a formidable sector of the local economy.

2014: Circuit Court Judge Joseph Boles and Pierce County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, based in Ellsworth, WI, for a program using a variety of arts disciplines as teaching tools to improve law enforcement training in de-escalating mental health crisis calls, and Reedsburg Mayor Dave Estes, Reedsburg City Administrator Ken Witt, and Reedsburg Chamber of Commerce Director Kristine Koenecke for support of Fermentation Fest – A Live Culture Convergence and the Farm/Art DTour.

2013: Rice Lake Main Street Program, Rice Lake; and Sheboygan Performing Arts Foundation, Sheboygan

2012: State Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, River Falls; State Sen. Bob Jauch, Poplar; Marlene Doerr Kreilkamp, Founder and former Director, SHARP Literacy, Milwaukee; and Anastasia Shartin, Visual Arts Director, The Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson

2011: Bill Schierl, President, Arts Alliance of Portage County (now CREATE Portage County), Stevens Point; and Jeff Scrima, former Mayor, Waukesha

2010: Lois Smith, founder of “Walls of Wittenberg,” Wittenberg; Julia Taylor, President, Greater Milwaukee Committee, Milwaukee; The Green Bay Neighborhood Leadership Council’s Beautification Committee, Green Bay; and The Hometown Gazette newspaper, Clayton

2009 : Carol Kratchowill, Vice President, Sauk County Art Association, Merrimac; and Menomonie Mayor Dennis Cropp and former Dunn County Board member B. Jane Hoyt, on behalf of the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie.