2014 Governor's Arts Awards Attract 84 Nominations; Honorees to Be Announced 3/25

Eighty-four nominations from 27 Arizona communities were submitted in six categories for the 33rd annual Governor's Arts Awards for individuals and businesses who have made substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture statewide.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 25 at The Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street in Mesa. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Office of the Governor.

Since 1981, 158 artists, individuals, arts and cultural organizations, educators and businesses have received Governor's Arts Awards

Nominees, by category, and their hometowns are:

Artist: Eugene D. Anderson, Apache Junction; Jon Bonnell, Phoenix; Daniel Buckley, Tucson; Bobb Cooper, Phoenix; Derrick Suwaima Davis, Hotevilla; Maria Isabel Delgado, Chandler; Michael J. Eddy, Phoenix; Dr. Rose French, Phoenix; Deborah Hodder, Phoenix; Simon Kregar, Tucson; Lia Littlewood, Yuma; Danell Lynn, Phoenix; Joella Jean Mahoney, Sedona; Corinne McAuley, Surprise; Luis Mena, Tucson; Kirk O'Hara, Mesa; Renee Palmer-Jones, Anthem; Joseph Rodgers, Tucson; Michelle Rouch, Vail; Mike Vax, Dewey; Baje Whitethorne Sr., Flagstaff.

Arts in Education - Individual: Dr. Suzette Battan, Tucson; Chris Donlon, Mesa; Paula Humpage, Phoenix; Gay Kohl, Scottsdale; Kathleen & Selene Kupper, Phoenix; Adrienne Magee, Tucson; Sharon Seder Meko, Gilbert; Claude Pensis, Phoenix; Step Raptis, Mesa; Carolyn Robbins, Scotttsdale Melanie Sainz, Phoenix; Mark Sunkett, Mesa; Morgan Wells, Tucson; Stephen Wrentmore, Tucson.

Arts In Education - Organization: Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix; Arizona Theatre Company Education Programs, Tucson; Arts Express, Tucson; Ballet Etudes, Gilbert; Copperstar Repertory Company, Chandler; EPIK Dance Company, Phoenix; Gold Canyon Arts Education, Gold Canyon; LDVinci Art Studio, Chandler; Mesa Community College Theatre and Film Program, Mesa; Rosie's House: A Music Academy for Children, Phoenix; Sahuarita High School Summer Youth Art Program, Sahuarita; Scottsdale Artists' School, Scottsdale; Sonoran Glass School, Tucson; The Symphony Women's Association, Tucson; Vitruvius Program at Summit School of Ahwatukee.

Business: BMO Harris Bank, Phoenix; Celebration of Fine Art, Scottsdale; General Growth Properties, Tucson; Sasha and Rodney Glassman, Phoenix.

Community: Artlink, Inc., Phoenix; City of Casa Grande Arts & Humanities Commission, Casa Grande; City of Peoria, Peoria; Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library, Flagstaff; Flagstaff Cultural Partners, Flagstaff; Grand Canyon Association Celebration of Art, Grand Canyon; KXCI Community Radio, Tucson; Looney Tooner Kitchen, Scottsdale; Phoenix Women's Chorus, Phoenix; Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra Association, Sierra Vista; University of Arizona Poetry Center, Tucson; WHAM Art Organization, Surprise; William Eaton, Cottonwood; Young Arts Arizona Ltd., Phoenix.

Individual: Anni Beach, Chandler; Dr. Robert Benson, Glendale; Tom and Laurie Carmody, Phoenix; Grace Ann Etchebarria-Jacobs, Lake Havasu City; Robert Machiz, Scottsdale; Robert J Miley, Phoenix; Lora Lee Nye, Prescott Valley; Meribeth Reeves, Cave Creek; Monica Saldana, Goodyear; Julie Sasse, PhD, Tucson; Renee Smith, Yuma; Mayor Scott Smith, Mesa; John Wells, Tucson; Phelps & Kay Wilkins, Springerville; Steven Zylstra, Phoenix.

Honorees will be selected by an independent panel of judges.

The eighth annual Shelley Award also will be presented to an Arizona individual who has advanced the arts through strategic and innovative work in creating or supporting public policy beneficial to the arts in Arizona. The award is named for Shelley Cohn, who spent more than 25 years as executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Ticket prices are $135 for members of Arizona Citizens for the Arts and $150 for nonmembers. Sponsorships are available.

For information and to make reservations go to www.governorsartsawards.org.

Arizona Citizens for the Arts: Arizona Citizens for the Arts is the premier arts advocacy organization in Arizona dedicated to promoting discussion and awareness of the importance and impact of the arts in achieving quality of life, educational excellence and economic vitality in communities across Arizona. For information visit www.azcitizensforthearts.org.

Arizona Commission on the Arts: One of 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the United States, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is an agency of the State of Arizona that supports a statewide arts network. The Arizona Commission on the Arts supports access to quality arts and arts education opportunities for all Arizona citizens; the development and retention of statewide jobs in the nonprofit arts, culture and education sectors; and increased economic impact in local communities through arts-based partnerships that develop tax and small business revenue. Imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts. For more information about the Arizona Commission on the Arts and its programs, visit www.azarts.gov.