ArtsErie News

Winner to Compete in State Finals on March 15

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie announces that Katelyn Clarahan, a home-schooled high school freshman from Franklin, Pa., has been selected as the winner of the regional finals of the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program, created by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation, which encourages the study of poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

ArtsErie and the PA Council on the Arts presented the 2010 regional competition, held Saturday, February 20, 2010 at Allegheny College in Meadville. This year, four students participated in the regional finals. In addition to Clarahan, the following students competed: Lucy Crozier, junior, Meadville High School, Meadville; Rachel Golden, sophomore, Mercyhurst Preparatory School, Erie; and Nate Repasz, senior, NW PA Collegiate Academy, Erie.

Clarahan is the daughter of Robert and Terri Clarahan, who is also her teacher, and a member of the Western PA Christian Orators homeschool speech club, taught by Gaye Welton. She was awarded an all-expense-paid trip to the Pennsylvania state finals for Poetry Out Loud, to be held on Monday, March 15, 2010 at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. There, she will be among 13 students from across the state vying for the opportunity to compete at the national finals, to be held in April 2010 in Washington, D.C., where Poetry Out Loud will award $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes.

Contestants in Poetry Out Loud memorize and recite works they select from an anthology of more than 500 classic and contemporary poems. Students then advance to the National Finals through competitions at the classroom, school, regional and state levels. The judges for the 2010 regional competition were ArtsErie Poetry Out Loud coordinator Lora Zill; as well as Donna Baker; Robyn Crago; Jan Hyatt; and Mary Morris.

The 2009-10 academic year marks ArtsErie's fifth year as regional host for area high schools. High Schools in Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mercer, Lawrence, Venango, Forest, McKean, Potter, Elk and Cameron were eligible to compete as part of ArtsErie's region.

To receive information about participating in next year’s competition, contact Holly Nowak, ArtsErie’s Arts in Education Program Manager, at (814) 452-3427. Additional information about Poetry Out Loud is available online at www.poetryoutloud.org. 

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie, in partnership with the PA Council on the Arts, will host the 2010 regional Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest on Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 11 a.m. The competition will take place in the black box theatre of the Vukovich Center at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.

The 2009-10 academic year marks ArtsErie's fifth year as regional host for area high schools. High Schools in Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mercer, Lawrence, Venango, Forest, McKean, Potter, Elk and Cameron are eligible to compete as part of ArtsErie's region. The competition will be judged by poets and writers from Erie, Pittsburgh and Meadville.

ArtsErie's winner will advance to the state competition in March, which will take place in Harrisburg. The state champion will advance to the National Finals, which will be held in Washington, DC in April 2010.

The Poetry Out Loud program builds upon the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word and theater into the English class. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.

For more information about Poetry Out Loud, visit www.PoetryOutLoud.org.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

ArtsErie awarded grant from The Kresge Foundation

$65,000 in funds will be used to strengthen arts and cultural organizations in Erie County

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie has been awarded an Arts and Culture Capacity Building Grant of $65,000 from the prestigious Kresge Foundation of Troy, Mich. The Kresge Foundation, a national foundation that has historically supported fundraising campaigns to build capital projects, chose to respond to the effects of the economic crisis on arts and culture through a new initiative designed to build the capacity of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in selected communities.

 

“ArtsErie was pleased to be given the opportunity to apply for this funding and thanks The Kresge Foundation for this grant,” said Charlotte P. Mashyna, ArtsErie executive director. “This funding will enable us to address some of the issues facing our arts and cultural organizations.”

 

ArtsErie will use the data collected through the CultureSpark cultural planning process to identify those areas of need, which if addressed could best benefit local arts and cultural organizations. Collaborative grants will be encouraged in order to have the maximum impact.

 

“ArtsErie expects to involve a significant number of Erie County arts and cultural organizations in this two-year initiative, ending in December 2011,” Mashyna notes.

 

Specifically, ArtsErie plans to use these funds as grants to arts and cultural organizations who apply to work with consultants to achieve goals relative to new strategic plans, fund development plans, marketing plans or infrastructure development. ArtsErie will work with The Nonprofit Partnership to implement this initiative.

 

The results of this arts capacity-building initiative are expected to include increased revenues, increased audiences and improved organizational functioning for participating organizations.

 

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

 

About CultureSpark

CultureSpark is a year-long cultural planning process, implemented by ArtsErie and The Nonprofit Partnership, which is designed to identify the issues, strengths and challenges for cultural development throughout Erie County. Bill Bulick of Creative Planning, Portland, Ore. is facilitating the process, assisted by Surale Phillips of Decision Support Partners, Bozeman, Mont. Additional information about CultureSpark is available online at www.CultureSparkErie.org.

 

About The Kresge Foundation

The Kresge Foundation, based in Troy, Michigan, is a national, private foundation that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations by creating access and opportunity in underserved communities, improving the health of low-income people, supporting artistic expression, assisting in the revitalization of Detroit and advancing methods for dealing with global climate change. Additional information about The Kresge Foundation is available online at www.Kresge.org.

 

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November 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ArtsErie awards grants topping $425,000

Funding distributed to artists and arts organizations throughout Erie County

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie recently awarded $437,248 in funding to area artists and arts organizations. This funding is provided through ArtsErie Program Support and Project Grants, which are made possible through the Erie Arts Endowment and the ArtsErie United Fund, as well as Program and Project Stream Grants from the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts, known as PPA Grants. PPA Grants are made possible through the PA Council on the Arts (PCA), a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Additional funding opportunities are made possible through the Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Fund and the Virginia Vieser Arts Education Fund. Both funds are part of the Erie Arts Endowment.

Grant distributions were also made to various sub-funds of the Erie Arts Endowment.

“ArtsErie is pleased to be able to provide support to our member organizations each year, but especially during these challenging economic times,” said Charlotte P. Mashyna, ArtsErie executive director.

Each year ArtsErie distributes thousands of dollars in grants to artists and member organizations throughout the region. Awardees are selected through a competitive process for each grant cycle.

Funding for the 2009-10 fiscal year was distributed as follows:

A.)   Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) Program Stream Grants
The PPA Program Stream is a funding opportunity of the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA), a regionalized funding program of the PCA. The Program Stream offers ongoing support to arts organizations and arts programs with an established history of PCA support. It is administered in Erie, Crawford and Warren Counties by ArtsErie.

The 2009-10 PPA Program Stream grantees are: Academy Theatre Foundation; Allegheny College Art Galleries; Artists Incorporated; Bruce Gallery of Art at Edinboro University; Corry Arts Council Auxiliary, Inc.; Edinboro University Chamber Players; Edinboro Highland Games of Edinboro University; Erie Chamber Orchestra at Gannon University; Erie Dance Conservatory Company; Erie Dance Consortium; Erie Opera Theatre; Erie Summer Festival of the Arts; JazzErie; Meadville Council on the Arts; Music at Noon at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; North East Arts Council; Photomedia Center; Stairways Behavioral Health; Titusville Council on the Arts; United Community Independence Program's French Creek Community Theater; Warren Civic Orchestra, Inc.; Warren Concert Association; Warren County Summer Music School; and Warren Players.

B.)   Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) Project Stream Grants
The PPA Project Stream provides grants to eligible organizations or individuals to conduct arts projects, such as performances or exhibitions, which are presented to the public and take place in a specific time period. This program is also administered in Erie, Crawford and Warren Counties by ArtsErie.
 
The 2009-10 PPA Project Stream grantees are: Allegheny Regional Theatre Experience; CAFE (Culture, Arts, Festivals, Events of Erie); Community Music School of Edinboro University; Conneaut Valley Economic & Industrial Development Authority; Downtown Edinboro Art & Music Festival; Edinboro University Chamber Players; Edinboro University Visiting Artist Program; Erie Arts Opportunity; Erie County American Red Cross; Erie Homes for Children and Adults; Gannon University; Goodell Gardens & Homestead; International Institute of Erie; J. Lynne Myers; Jude Shingle; Lake Erie Ballet; Lawrence Park Township; Regional Arts Council of Warren County; Riverside Chamber Players; Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity; SoMar Dance Works; Western PASSHE Low Brass Consortium; Young Artists Debut Orchestra; and Young People's Chorus of Erie.

C.)   ArtsErie Program Support Grants
ArtsErie Program Support Grants provide funding to support larger arts organizations whose programming has a significant impact on the Erie community. ArtsErie program grants are funded by the ArtsErie United Fund and the Unrestricted/McCain Fund of the Erie Arts Endowment.

The 2009-10 ArtsErie Program Support grantees are: Erie Art Museum; Erie Philharmonic; Erie Playhouse; and the expERIEnce Children’s Museum.

D.)   ArtsErie Project Grants
ArtsErie Project Grants provide funding for art performances, projects and exhibits in any artistic discipline in Erie County. ArtsErie project grants are funded by the ArtsErie United Fund and the Unrestricted/McCain Fund of the Erie Arts Endowment.

The 2009-10 ArtsErie Project grantees are: Bayfront NATO, Inc./Martin Luther King Center; Bruce Gallery at Edinboro University; CAFE (Culture, Arts, Festivals, Events of Erie); Dafmark Dance Theater; Downtown Edinboro Art & Music Festival; Edinboro Highland Games & Scottish Festival; Edinboro University Visiting Artist Program; Emerson-Gridley CHAMPS Program; Erie Chamber Orchestra; Erie County Historical Society; Erie Dance Conservatory Company, Inc.; Erie Dance Consortium; Erie Homes for Children and Adults; Erie Opera Theatre; Gannon University; Inner-City Neighborhood Art House; Lake Erie Fanfare, Inc.; Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College; Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; Photomedia Center; St. Boniface Church Players; and Union City Area School District Foundation.

E.)   Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Grants
Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Fund provides funding opportunities for projects involving music performance. Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance grants are part of the Erie Arts Endowment.

The 2009-10 Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance grantees are: Dafmark Dance Theater; Erie Art Museum; Erie Chamber Orchestra; Erie Civic Music Association; Erie Junior Philharmonic; Erie Opera Theatre; Erie Philharmonic; Erie Summer Festival of the Arts; Inner-City Neighborhood Art House; JazzErie; Lake Erie Ballet; Luther Memorial Concert Series; Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College; Young Artists Debut Orchestra; and the Young People's Chorus of Erie.

F.)   Virginia Vieser Arts Education Grants
Virginia Vieser Arts Education Fund provides funding opportunities for arts education programs without regard to artistic discipline. Arts education projects may be in any setting that exposes students of all ages to any of the visual or performing arts. New initiatives are encouraged. Virginia Vieser Arts Education grants are part of the Erie Arts Endowment.

The 2009-10 Virginia Vieser Arts Education grantees are: Erie Art Museum; Erie Playhouse; and Greater Erie Youth Symphony Orchestra.

G.)   Erie Arts Endowment Sub-Fund Grant Distribution
Several sub-funds also received grant distributions. They are: ArtsErie; Discovery Square; Erie Art Museum; Erie Art Museum — Public Art; Erie Philharmonic; Erie Playhouse; expERIEnce Children's Museum; Lake Erie Ballet; and McBrier Family Fund.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

About Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts

Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) is a partnership between local organizations and the PCA. Now operating in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, PPA re-grants funds to support a wide variety of local and community arts activities. Since its creation in 1996, PPA has demonstrated enormous success in achieving the PCA's mission and goals. Additional information about Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts is available online at www.pacouncilonthearts.org.

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ArtsErie and Erie County Continue Celebrating ‘The Big Read’

Author/Illustrator Tim Hamilton to speak about authorized Fahrenheit 451 graphic novel

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie continues to host events coinciding with its Big Read program in celebration of Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451. A presentation by author/illustrator Tim Hamilton has been added to the event schedule. Hamilton's authorized graphic novel adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 was published in 2009. His public presentation will take place from 5-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at East Senior High School, 1001 Atkins St. Hamilton then will sign books in the East Senior High School lobby until 6:30 p.m.

During the presentation, Hamilton will give some history about how he came to illustrate Fahrenheit 451 and how one adapts a work of serious fiction to the graphic medium. He will show thumbnail (early story-board style drafts) and concept sketches from Fahrenheit 451 and samples of some of the art history that he used to inspire the look for the adaptation. He will discuss how art history directs much of his work and how in this kind of graphic adaptation, the artist has to be casting agent, art director, storyboard artist and costume designer. He will also talk about the book’s color scheme, why he used it and the process of creating a graphic novel.

Tim Hamilton has produced art for The New York Times Book Review, Cicada magazine, King Features, BOOM! Studios, Mad magazine, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, ToyBiz and Nickelodeon magazine. He most recently adapted Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island into a graphic novel for Puffin Graphics. He lives in Brooklyn.

Activities in Erie County continue throughout October, including:

• Sat, Oct. 24: Readers’ Theater Performance, Erie Playhouse
• Mon, Oct. 26: Student-led Event, Frontier Park
• Tue, Oct. 27: Movie Viewing & Discussion, Blasco Library
• Wed, Oct. 28: Tim Hamilton Lecture, East High School
• Thu, Oct. 29: Movie Viewing & Discussion, ECHA
• Thu, Oct. 29: Culminating Celebration, Blasco Library

For more information and a full calendar of events for The Big Read–Erie, visit www.onebookerie.org or www.artserie.org . The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Big Read–Erie is presented in partnership with the Erie County Public Library’s “One Book, One Erie” program and the School District of the City of Erie.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. For more information, please visit www.neabigread.org.

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: www.imls.gov.

Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge and understanding across boundaries. For more information, please visit www.artsmidwest.org .

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. For more information, please visit www.ArtsErie.org .

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ArtsErie to Host Annual Fall for the Arts Celebration

2009 ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Award honorees announced; public reception slated for Tuesday, Oct. 20

ERIE, PA — Each year ArtsErie honors individuals and groups for their contributions to the arts community with ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. The awards are presented each October, National Arts and Humanities Month, at ArtsErie’s Fall for the Arts event. ArtsErie will host the 2009 Fall for the Arts celebration on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Yehl Ballroom in Gannon University's Waldron Campus Center (124 West 7th St., Erie).

At the event, ArtsErie will present three Arts Appreciation Awards. Citadel Broadcasting will receive the Leadership Award. Inner-City Neighborhood Art House will receive the Imagine Award. Barbara Hauck will receive the Applause Award. In addition, ArtsErie will thank its ArtsErie United Fund Contributors and announce ArtsErie Grantees.

Doors will open at 5:15 p.m.; the awards presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. The presentation will feature performances by local musicians and a poetry reading by Berwyn Moore, an associate professor of English at Gannon University who is Erie County's first poet laureate. A reception will immediately follow.

Fall for the Arts is sponsored in part by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. This year’s awards, created by local mosaic and glass artist Ed Grout, were sponsored by Bank of New York Mellon.

For more information or to inquire about remaining tickets, priced at $10 each, please contact ArtsErie at 814-452-3427 or info@ArtsErie.org.

About the ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards

Nominations for the ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards are accepted from members of the community and voted upon by the ArtsErie Board of Directors. The award categories are as follows:

The Leadership in Arts Award recognizes a business, government, or foundation that (1) has exhibited long term art support, or (2) whose work has had a significant impact on the region’s arts/cultural landscape, or (3) has demonstrated a successful collaboration between an arts organization and business.

The Applause Award recognizes a dedicated individual(s) or group whose outstanding volunteerism and contributions, either currently or in the past, have supported ArtsErie or the arts in our community. (The Applause Award now incorporates the Art Service Award given out in previous years.)

The Imagine Award recognizes an educator, instructor or individual whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of arts education by consistently inspiring and encouraging arts excellence in their students or an education affiliate (PTA, Board of Ed., Performing Arts/Music School) or other organization that has demonstrated outstanding efforts to evoke interest and understanding in the arts both having worked over time to implement excellence in and for arts education.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

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CultureSpark Invites Participation in Online Surveys

Responses will help shape cultural development in Erie County

ERIE, PA — CultureSpark, the Erie County Cultural Plan, has developed an initial set of priorities and ideas through a series of forums, leadership interviews and meetings with artists and organizations. Now, CultureSpark is reaching out to Erie County residents, artists, and organizations to gather their opinions, ideas and hopes by conducting three Web-based questionnaires.

The three surveys can be accessed on the CultureSpark home page by clicking this link www.culturesparkerie.org. Each survey is geared toward a specific audience: cultural organizations, artists/creators and the community at large. Each survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. All surveys must be completed by October 9, 2009.

The goal is have over 1,000 respondents from across the County. To encourage community participation, CultureSpark will hold a drawing for two $50 gas cards from all completed community surveys received by the deadline.

CultureSpark invites all members of the public to give their opinions by completing the online questionnaires. Responses to the surveys will shape cultural development in Erie County. The results will be posted on www.culturesparkerie.org, the initiative's Web site.

Anyone wishing to complete a hard copy of the survey can obtain one by contacting ArtsErie at 814-452-3427 or sending an email to info@culturesparkerie.org. For more information about CultureSpark, visit www.culturesparkerie.org.

About CultureSpark

CultureSpark is a year-long cultural planning process, implemented by ArtsErie and The Nonprofit Partnership, which is designed to identify the issues, strengths and challenges for cultural development throughout Erie County. Bill Bulick of Creative Planning, Portland, Ore. is facilitating the process, assisted by Surale Phillips of Decision Support Partners, Bozeman, Mont.

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September 23, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ArtsErie and Erie County to Kick-Off ‘The Big Read’ in Erie

ArtsErie partners with the Erie County Public Library and the Erie School District
to read and celebrate Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451 throughout October 2009

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie will launch its Big Read program in celebration of Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451 with a community kick-off on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 6-8 p.m. at the H.O. Hirt Auditorium in Blasco Library (160 East Front St., Erie). The Big Read–Erie is presented in partnership with the Erie County Public Library and the School District of the City of Erie.

The kick-off event will feature guest speaker John Repp, a writer and teacher, who will speak on “Banned Books Week.” Banned Books Week was created in 1982 to celebrate the freedom to read.

“Fahrenheit 451 is important to students because it addresses fighting for a good cause—for the freedom to read,” says M. Holly Nowak, ArtsErie Arts in Education Program Manager, about why this book was selected.

Activities in Erie County will continue throughout October. To encourage community-wide participation in the project, ArtsErie, the Erie County Public Library and the School District of the City of Erie will offer a program of activities related to Fahrenheit 415, including book discussions, a film series, programs and lectures, a reader’s theater production, artist residencies and more.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Erie is one of 269 communities nationwide participating in The Big Read from September 2009–June 2010. To date, the NEA has funded more than 800 Big Read programs in the nation’s towns and cities.

For a full calendar of events for The Big Read–Erie, click here or visit www.onebookerie.org.

July 31, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ArtsErie Project Grant Applications Now Being Accepted

Competitive funding program supports arts projects in Erie County

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie is now accepting applications for its project grant program. ArtsErie project grants provide funding for art performances, projects and exhibits in Erie County. Applications are accepted annually and reviewed by an independent allocations panel with ratification by ArtsErie Board of Trustees. Funds are distributed on a competitive grant basis. Applicants must have 501(c)(3) status.

Project grants of varying amounts are available from three funds, serving different disciplines:

• Arts education projects may apply for up to $2,500 from the Virginia Vieser Arts Education Fund.
• Projects involving music performance may apply for up to $5,000 from the Clarence E. Beyers Music Performance Fund.
• Projects of any artistic discipline may apply for up to $5,000 from the ArtsErie Unrestricted Project Fund.

Applications must be postmarked by Saturday, August 15, 2009 or hand-delivered by Monday, August 17, 2009 at 5 p.m. to ArtsErie at 3 East 4th Street, Suite 10, Erie, PA 16507. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

For eligibility requirements and an application, please download the project grant packet at www.ArtsErie.org. Applicants may contact Michele Marini in Member Services, at 814-452-3427 or mmarini@artserie.org with questions about the application process or for feedback on previous grants.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

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July 31, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nominations Now Open for ArtsErie’s Annual Arts Appreciation Awards

New Imagine Award recognizes outstanding contribution to arts education

ERIE, PA — Each year ArtsErie salutes individuals and groups for their contributions to the arts community by presenting them with ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. This year, the ArtsErie Board has approved a new recognition, the Imagine Award, which recognizes excellence in arts education. 

Individuals and organizations are urged to use the nominating form on the ArtsErie Web site (http://artserie.org/events/fall_for_the_arts_nominations.htm) to submit nominations before the August 15 deadline to honor achievements in any of the three categories.

• The Leadership in Arts Award recognizes a business, government, or foundation that (1) has exhibited long term art support, or (2) whose work has had a significant impact on the region’s arts/cultural landscape, or (3) has demonstrated a successful collaboration between an arts organization and business.

• The Applause Award recognizes a dedicated individual(s) or group whose outstanding volunteerism and contributions, either currently or in the past, have supported ArtsErie or the arts in our community. (The Applause Award now incorporates the Art Service Award given out in previous years.)

• The Imagine Award recognizes an educator, instructor, or individual whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of arts education by consistently inspiring and encouraging arts excellence in their students or an education affiliate (PTA, Board of Ed., Performing Arts/Music School) or other organization that has demonstrated outstanding efforts to evoke interest and understanding in the arts both having worked over time to implement excellence in and for arts education.

In 2008, ArtsErie saluted Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (Business Appreciation Award); Dr. Jim Barker, Erie School District superintendent (Art Service Award); and Erie County Council & County Executive Mark DiVecchio (Applause Award). A complete list of past Arts Appreciation Award recipients is available at http://artserie.org/events/fall_for_the_arts_recipients.htm.

Awards will be presented in October, National Arts and Humanities Month, at ArtsErie’s Fall for the Arts celebration. For more information, please contact Mary Lou McCall, Program Associate, at 814-452-3427 or MaryLou@ArtsErie.org.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

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