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Governor's Arts Awards

Three Indiana Communities Considered to Host 2009 Governor's Arts Awards 

The Indiana Arts Commission announced that three communities will be considered as the site for the 2009 Indiana Governor’s Arts Awards program.

Formal applications were submitted last month to the IAC by the cities of Lafayette, Muncie and Rising Sun. The applications outline how each community would approach hosting the biennial event recognizing significant contributions to the arts in Indiana, or by those with ties to the Hoosier state. The 2007 Governor’s Arts Awards were hosted in Bloomington, marking the first time the awards program was held in a city other than Indianapolis.

“The response to taking the Governor’s Arts Awards on the road has been overwhelming,” said Lewis C. Ricci, IAC executive director. “There were people in attendance at the 2007 awards asking us how their community could be considered for hosting the next event.”

Earlier this spring, the IAC announced it would accept proposals from communities interested in hosting the program. Communities were encouraged to offer their own unique perspectives on hosting the event rather than duplicating what has been done in the past.

 “The Governor’s Office has been enthusiastic in its support for taking the awards program and sharing it with other communities in the state,” Ricci said. “Every community is different and so is the approach different communities might take to hosting the state’s highest recognition of the arts.”

The proposals submitted by the three communities will have their initial review later this month during a meeting of the Arts Commission’s Advocacy and Awareness Committee. At that time it will be determined if communities will be asked to make formal, in person presentations to the Commission.

A final decision on the site selection is expected later this fall.

About the Governor's Arts Awards

The Governor's Arts Awards program was initiated in 1973. Conceived in partnership between the IAC and the Office of the Governor, the program recognizes and honors significant contributions to the arts producing profoundly positive impact on the arts and the state of Indiana. The awards are presented every two years.

Since its inception, the program has honored artists, individuals, educators, organizations, businesses, and communities for their efforts to further public awareness of the arts. Past recipients include both the famous and less famous of the arts world, major corporations and small businesses, large cities and small towns.

Award recipients are selected by an independent panel of distinguished representatives from Indiana's arts, education, business, public and private sectors. IAC conducts a public call for nominations and the panel reviews and scores nominations based on specific criteria. The criteria emphasizes the total body of work or contributions of the nominee and the impact of the nominee's work on the cultural climate of the city, region, the state of Indiana, or on the national and international level. A limited number of recipients are selected from the field of nominees to receive this distinguished honor.