Howard County Arts Council to Honor 2017 Howie Award Winners

The Howard County Arts Council will honor its 2016 Howie Award winners at the 20th Annual Celebration of the Arts on Saturday, March 25, 2017, at the Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD.

The Celebration gala affords members of Howard County's arts, education, government, and business communities the opportunity to gather to honor individuals and businesses that have made meaningful contributions to the arts in Howard County.

This year's gala is also part of the kick-off for Columbia's 50th Birthday festivities! The Howie Awards are presented annually by the Arts Council to an Outstanding Artist who has contributed a high level of talent and vision to the artistic life of the community; an Outstanding Arts Educator who has made an exceptional contribution to arts education in Howard County; and an Outstanding Business or Community Supporter that has made a significant impact on the arts in Howard County.

This year's honoree for Outstanding Artist is Yifei Gan. Yifei, who has been teaching studio art at Howard Community College for nearly 25 years, is also an internationally recognized artist and curator whose drawings, paintings, digital media and traditional Chinese brush paintings have been exhibited in solo and invitational exhibitions throughout the US, Europe, and China. During his tenure at HCC, Yifei has had the opportunity to be a visiting professor at several major Chinese institutions including the Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing) and Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, among others. Yifei has also been an artist-in-residence at the College of Saint Benedict, MN. In addition to creating his own work and teaching, Yifei is also a published writer who co-authored the book Conceptual Design with Professor Tan Ping (Central Academy of Fine Arts) and Professor Zhang Yonghe (MIT) and is a regular contributor to a number of art magazines. Yifei earned his BFA & MFA from Southwest China Normal University in 1983 and 1986 and pursued doctoral studies and earned his MS in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1992.

Laurie Basham is the 2016 honoree for Outstanding Arts Educator. Laurie's career as a Howard County arts educator has spanned over three decades. For the last 14 years, she has been at Glenwood Middle School. She has provided advanced placement classes for interested students as well as a variety of after-school art clubs and has been involved with a variety of special projects, including Empty Bowls fundraisers and the Artist in Education Program. Laurie was named Outstanding Middle School Arts Educator for Howard County in 2006, as well as Outstanding Elementary Arts Educator in 1998. She was also nominated for the Agnes Meyer Teacher of the Year Award in 2001. Laurie has served on the county leadership cadre and curriculum-writing committee for many years and organizes share sessions for middle school art teachers. Laurie has a BS in Art Education from the University of Maryland.

The honoree for Outstanding Business Supporter of the Arts is M&T Bank, a community-focused bank serving customers in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. Considered one of the country's most highly regarded regional banks, M&T has built its business on a tradition of reliability, accuracy, and responsiveness to the needs of its customers.

Believing that the well-being of a bank is dependent upon the well-being of the communities it serves, M&T Bank contributes millions of dollars each year to thousands of community-based organizations through the M&T Charitable Foundation, while M&T Bank employees spend thousands of volunteer hours supporting events and causes that benefit others. This level of continued commitment has earned M&T Bank recognition as one of the top charitable companies in the United States.

Since 2004, M&T Bank has been a sponsor of the Arts Council's Celebration of the Arts gala. M&T Bank also provides significant support to many other arts and cultural organizations that serve residents from our region. M&T Bank's mission is to be the best company their employees ever work for, the best bank their customers ever do business with, and the best investment their shareholders ever make.

This year, a special Legacy in the Arts award will also be presented to Howard Community College. The Howard County community and the surrounding region have seen HCC's motto, "You Can Get There From Here," in action. Opened in 1970, the college is an integral part of life for Howard County residents, providing pathways for a variety of educational goals. Beyond its value as an academic institution, HCC draws tens of thousands of county residents, who visit its art galleries, attend Rep Stage and other performing arts in the Horowitz Center, and watch and listen to Dragon Digital Media.

Almost every day, the college's Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center hosts an arts-related event. For over 45 years, HCC has invested in the development of the arts within the college and in the community. Enrollment in the arts has soared, and course o­fferings have multiplied, providing arts education for associate degree acquisition, transfer, and personal and professional enrichment. HCC has also supported the development of arts programs in and outside of the classroom, state-of-the-arts facilities, and exceptional community arts partners.

Howard County residents expect the best of arts and culture from HCC, and HCC delivers, offering something for everyone - whether you are a student, an artist, or an audience member. Come help us Celebrate!

The evening will begin at 6pm with a reception and silent auction of artwork by local artists. During the reception, partygoers will be treated to culinary delicacies from distinctive local restaurants. At 8pm, guests will enjoy the much anticipated presentations of the 2016 Howie Awards and performances from the finalists of a special 20th anniversary 'All-Star' edition of the Rising Star Performing Artist Competition!

Tickets are $50 and $100 and are available for purchase online at hocoarts.org or by calling 410-313-ARTS(2787).

The Howard County Arts Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the citizens of Howard County by fostering the arts, artists and arts organizations. The Howard County Arts Council receives major grants from the Howard County Government and the Maryland State Arts Council and sustaining annual support from corporate, foundation and individual sponsors. Howard County Arts Council offices are located at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road , Ellicott City , MD 21043 . The Howard County Center for the Arts is an accessible facility encouraging the full participation of individuals with disabilities. For information, call 410.313.ARTS (2787), fax 410.313.2790, or email info@hocoarts.org.

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