COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Greater Columbus Arts Council today awarded three individuals and three businesses with a 2013 Community Arts Partnership Award for their exemplary support of the arts.
Business Award winners are:
State Auto, which received the award in the Large Business category for companies with more than 500 employees. State Auto was nominated by ProMusica Columbus.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which received the award in theMedium Business category for companies with 50-500 employees. Jeni’s was nominated by the Wexner Center for the Arts.
The Short North Alliance, which received the award in the Small Business category for companies with fewer than 50 employees. The Short North Alliance was nominated by PM Gallery.
In addition the three individual award winners announced in September were recognized. The individual winners are:
Richard “Duarte” Brown, master artist for TRANSIT ARTS, who received the Arts Educator award for his outstanding efforts in educating local youth through the arts.
Denny Griffith, president of the Columbus College of Art & Design, who received the Arts Partner award for his years of supporting local artists and the arts community.
Erin Hoppe, who received the Emerging Arts Leader award for her work as an artist and curator, and for her work at VSA Ohio.
GCAC’s annual Community Arts Partnership awards honor the Columbus community for its active support of central Ohio’s artists and arts organizations. Thirty-five businesses and individuals were nominated this year. Columbus City Council Member Eileen Paley and GCAC’s Board Chair, Rober Falcone presented today’s awards.
Each award winner was given an original work of art by a local artist. State Auto received Nikos Rutowski’s entia per aggregatum; Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams received Laura Alexander’s Scalloped; and Short North Alliance received Molly McNitt’s Take Note. Brown, Griffith and Hoppe each received a framed work by local artist, Helma Groot.
GCAC also presented its Artistic Excellence Award – a $10,000 prize given annually to an arts organization that has demonstrated innovation, risk and artistic excellence in a performance, exhibition or program – to the Harmony Project for One Week, One Neighborhood.
The other nominees this year were:
Columbus Children’s Theatre for Sensory Friendly Performances Children’s Theatre Series
Columbus Dance Theatre for Cleopatra
Franklin Park Conservatory for Sacrifice + Bliss: Aurora Robson
The Short North Stage for the Garden Theatre Restoration
Wexner Center for Annie Leibovitz
Each year, GCAC staff selects Artistic Excellence nominees, and GCAC’s Board of Trustees meets just prior to the Community Arts Partnership awards luncheon to select a winner.
For more information about the Community Arts Partnership Awards or to see a complete list of nominees in all categories go to: https://www.gcac.org/community-arts-partnership/.
About the Greater Columbus Arts Council: Through vision and leadership, advocacy and collaboration, the Greater Columbus Arts Council supports art and advances the culture of the region. A catalyst for excellence and innovation, we fund exemplary artists and arts organizations and provide programs, events and services of public value that educate and engage all audiences in our community. Thanks to the City of Columbus, Franklin County and the Ohio Arts Council for their ongoing support. Thanks also to PNC, Time Warner Cable, AEP and Nationwide for their support of our Community Arts Partnership awards.
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CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org
