Nominations open for Governor’s Arts and Heritage Awards
Published 12:01 am Sunday, July 19, 2015
OLYMPIA — The state Arts Commission, aka ArtsWA, has opened the nomination process for the Governor’s Arts and Heritage Awards.
ArtsWA, the organizer and producer of the event on behalf of Gov. Jay Inslee, is working to get nominations in from across the state.
“There are many Washington state artists, arts organizations, arts educators, heritage organizations, heritage leaders and up-and-coming young arts leaders on the Olympic Peninsula who are deserving of this award in 2015,” Karen Hanan, executive director of ArtsWA, wrote in a news release.
The deadline to nominate an individual or organization is Aug. 17.
For guidelines, criteria and the nomination form, visit the ArtsWA website, www.arts.wa.gov and click on the headline “Applications Open for 2015 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards.”
Nominations will be accepted for six categories:
■ Individual Arts Award (Outstanding generative artist or arts leader).
■ Arts organizations or organizations that support the arts.
■ Arts Educator Award.
■ Individual Heritage Award (artist/practitioner).
■ Heritage Organization Award.
■ Young Arts Leader Award (an artist or arts administrator age 18 to‐35).
The award ceremony will be held Nov. 9 at Teatro ZinZanni in Seattle.
The event, with the governor and first lady Trudi Inslee and performances by dancers and acrobats, award winners’ speeches and surprises, will be open to the public.
The awards were established in 1966 to recognize individuals and artists for their contributions to the creative vitality of Washington state.
Since then, 150 individuals and organizations have received Governor’s Arts Awards, and 51 individuals and organizations have been honored with a Heritage Award.
To be eligible for either Arts or Heritage Awards, individuals or organizations must be current Washington residents or have lived in the state during the time they made their contributions, and not be previous recipients of a Governor’s Arts Award or Heritage Award.
To learn more about the Washington State Arts Commission’s activities, see arts.wa.gov or phone the Olympia office at 360-753-3860.
