2011 Arts Recognition Awards

We are now accepting nominations for the 2011 Arts Recognition Awards! This program was established to recognize outstanding artistic talent and exceptional initiative and/or leadership in contributing to the advancement of the arts in the CSRA!

We accept nominations for the following categories:

1.      Individual Artist – This award recognizes exemplary artistic achievement in any discipline by a living Augusta Area Visual/Performing/Creative artist who has dedicated him/herself to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the Augusta Area.

Past Winners have included: 2010 Ed Turner, 2009 Brian Rust, 2008 Edward Rice, 2007 Kathy Girdler Engler, 2006 Peter Powlus

2.      Sponsor/Corporate – A business/individual honored in this category will in addition to providing financial support for the arts, have encouraged employees to participate in community arts activities, developed significant art collections, enhanced the arts in the community or established programs in the arts.

Past winners of this award have included: 2010 Wierhouse 2009 SRP Federal Credit Union 2008 Earth Fare, 2007 Beasley Broadcasting Group, 2006 Jim Hudson Lexus

3.      Volunteer- Recognition will be given to a volunteer who, for example, was influential in developing new programs resulting in extraordinary changes in the arts in a community, had an unusual influence on growth or development of an arts organization, activity, or program, was responsible for a notable “first” in t he arts, or has been the motivating spirit behind a community arts project.

Past winners of this award have included: 2010 Rich Borgatti, 2009 Angela Hillesland, 2008 Gary and Paige Tom, 2007 Morris Museum Docents, 2006 John Lovin

4.      Media (Individual/Corporate)- The media award will be granted to a newspaper, television, radio station, magazine, or individual that has demonstrated support for the community arts activities, provided outstanding coverage for an arts event, contributed features or special spotlighting the arts, or  encouraged personnel to participate in the arts.

Past winners have included: 2010 WFXG-TV Fox 54, 2009 Austin Rhodes, 2008 Perry Broadcasting, 2007 Columbia County News Times, 2005 John Mann

5.      Arts Professional -  This award is designed to recognize those who have made contributions to the arts in the CSRA has professionals, but not as professional artists, Nominees could come from organizations, education, etc.

Past winners of this award have included: 2010 James Nord, 2009 Audrey Crosby, 2008 Krys Bailey, Doug Joiner, and Richard Justice, 2007 Molly McDowell, 2006 Steve Walpert

If you are interested in nominating any deserving individual please click here http://bit.ly/iaWYEt .

You can also see the complete list of past winners by clicking here http://bit.ly/gGNeNA

Nominations are due by MAY 9^TH and winners will be chosen by a panel of arts and business leaders. The awards will be presented by the Greater Augusta Arts Council at our Annual Awards Party and General Membership Meeting on June 9^th 2011 at Sacred Heart Cultural Center (more details to follow). The award winners will also be featured in the Fall Issue of the Augusta Magazine!

I hope you will consider nominating a deserving individual!

Until Next Time,

Lots to Do!

I have attended several social media seminars since I started working for the Greater Augusta Arts Council in 2008, and while we are pretty good about most forms of social media we have never really kept up with a blog. I was finally convinced earlier this week that is imperative to have a blog and to keep up with it!

So I am making a commitment to keep up with this blog and to write in it at least once a week! I will discuss things going on around the office, events we are working on, and art-related news and events from around the CSRA.

I was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia and am accustomed to hearing “There is nothing to do around here,” “Augusta is so boring,” and other like sentiments. I am not going to lie I too once thought along these lines until I returned home from college after graduation and I realized what a culturally rich community we have! There are actually a lot of fun things going on around Augusta and it is growing at a rapid pace, you just have to know where to look to find what is going on!

The Arts Council’s online art calendar is a good place to start: http://bit.ly/cbZDew

We update it daily and are always open to list new events that we might have missed (email events@augustaarts.com to have your event listed).

You can also join our mailing list. We send out a monthly newsletter listing our own events as well as our monthly Augusta Art Meet Up. Meet Ups are held at local art events and are a chance for you to meet other art lovers in the area (also members of the Arts Council sometimes get discounts and deals at these meet ups!)

Our next meet up is November 13^th 7pm-10pm at Art After Dark held at Church of the Holy Comforter in Evans. The event is put on by the Artist Guild of Columbia County and tickets are only $5!

Art After Dark, held annually in November, is an evening of art and entertainment and the Guild's signature event. The show features a variety of art created by Guild members including oils, charcoal, watercolors, photography, pottery and jewelry. Most of the art is available for purchase.

In addition, the evening includes a celebrity auction of art created by some of our hometown celebrities, a silent auction of art, delicious food and wine, and performances by local arts groups! Click here to buy tickets in advance: http://bit.ly/aPq0B5

I truly hope to see you there!

Until Next Time,

 

Grace Bowles Inman