We're Back!!!!
In an official press release last week the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts executive director Philip Horn announced that the 2009 Governor’s Awards for the Arts, postponed last fall, will take place in York on Thursday, April 8, 2010.
"We are delighted to be back on track planning this commonwealth event with the assistance of the region’s arts and cultural community, the Cultural Alliance of York County, and a committee of dedicated local advisors and volunteers,” Horn said. “This event is one that the Governor, First Lady, and the state’s cultural community look forward to each year and it was a difficult decision to postpone our original plans for last October. We are very happy to once again be working with York’s vibrant arts organizations, artists, community and cultural leaders on plans for the ceremony and surrounding festivities.”
Steering committee members representing York’s community of artists and arts organizations met on Nov. 17 to re-activate plans for a diverse array of performances, fine arts and crafts displays, and children’s arts activities to represent the region’s cultural assets. Most activities on the day of the awards will take place in and around the downtown area. The arts award ceremony and arts events will be free and open to the public.
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts recognize individuals and organizations for artistic excellence and outstanding contributions to the cultural life of the Commonwealth through their work, programs, leadership, and service. Past recipients include Jimmy Stewart, Marian Anderson, Andrew Wyeth, James Michener, Fred Rogers, August Wilson, Marilyn Horne, M. Night Shyamalan, Rob and Kathleen Marshall, Lang Lang, and Michael Keaton.
Award recipients are identified through an open call to the public for nominations. Nominations have been submitted and awardees will be announced in early 2010.
We'll be sure to let you know about the upcoming announcement of award winners . . . . and of course, more of the inside details as they develop.
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Can't wait to dive back in and get the party started!
ReplyDeleteStacey
What does it mean to serve as a host community of the prestigious Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for the Arts? Joanne Riley inquired, wondering if I would tackle this subject from Gettysburg’s perspective, as the city of York ramps up for the awards this spring.
ReplyDeleteReviewing the materials from 2007 brings back so many fond memories.
October 4, 2007: what a proud day it was for Gettysburg. The whole community embraced the awards and the celebration of local, talented artists, both young and old, representing all genres, and showcased throughout the streets of Gettysburg. Folks are still buzzing about that magical experience today. Not to mention the attention we received from the Award winners, the Governor and First Lady and all of our special guests, seeing Gettysburg from a completely and new and improved perspective.
The Pennsylvania Council of the Arts (PCA) told us our community would experience a “bounce” from hosting the awards. I am not sure that our Steering Committee comprised of community leaders and art enthusiast really understood what that meant. Now we do. It meant that the awards would catapult the area into the next evolution of arts appreciation and further develop our cultural milieu. And Gettysburg is definitely experiencing a rebirth of the arts.
Since the awards, we now host the Gettysburg Festival (for which I happen to be the executive director). We celebrate all of the arts (including culinary) with over 100 events for 10-days each June. It brings joy to all who experience it. Additionally our community is seeing new galleries opening downtown, and is home to new artists migrating to the area, both of which contribute to an Adams County Arts Council that is growing and strengthening. We see better attendance at the Majestic Theater and our cultural events held at both the Gettysburg College and the Lutheran Theological Seminary. The end result for Gettysburg: we find we live or shall we say “bounced” to a better place, all as a result of hosting the 2007 Governor’s Awards for the Arts.
-Alice Estrada, Executive Director, the Gettysburg Festival