59 Nominations From 19 Cities Submitted For 2019 Governor's Arts Awards

Fifty-nine individuals, arts organizations and advocates, small and large businesses and philanthropists from 19 communities statewide have been nominated for 2019 Governor's Arts Awards in eight categories. Finalists in each category will be announced at an invitation-only Nominees Reception in February. The 2019 Shelley Award honoree will be announced in January.

Honorees will be revealed at the 38th annual Governor's Arts Awards dinner and celebration, March 7, 2019 at the Renaissance Downtown Phoenix, 100 N. 1st Street.

The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Office of the Governor. Since 1981, more than 200 distinguished artists, individuals, arts and cultural organizations, educators and businesses have received Governor's Arts Awards.

Nominations are reviewed by three volunteer selection panels comprised of community, business and arts leaders from across the state. Awards are based on the following criteria: significance of the contributions and achievements of the nominee, range of individuals or groups served by the contributions of the nominee and length and degree to which the nominee is dedicated to the arts.

Nominees are:

Artist

Craig Bohmler, Scottsdale; Julia Chacon, Inspiracion Flamenca, Phoenix; Bobb Cooper, Valley Youth Theatre, Phoenix; Liliana Gomez, Liliana Gomez Dance, Phoenix; Ron May, Stray Cat Theatre, Phoenix; Yvonne Montoya, Tucson; Scott Spenner, Phoenix; Rashaad Thomas, Phoenix; Michael Vax, Dewey; Bobby Zokaites, Tempe.

Arts in Education | Individual

Julian Ackerley, Tucson Boys Chorus, Tucson; Eli Burke, Tucson; Jennifer Cafarella, Convergence Ballet, Phoenix; Heidi Cocco, Greenway Middle School, Phoenix; Edith Eubank, Scottsdale; Erica Herman, Casa Grande; Aldie Lopez, Tucson; Tate Rich, Bisbee; Karen Rolston, Mesa; Monica Sauer Anthony, Arizona School for the Arts, Phoenix; Marianna Pegno, Tucson; Milagros Zingoni, Mesa.

Arts in Education | Organization/School

Act One, Phoenix; Arts for All, Inc., Tucson; City of Sedona's Artist in the Classroom Program, Sedona; Hilltop Gallery & Arts Education Center, Nogales; Phoenix Children's Chorus, Phoenix; Scottsdale Arts; Scottsdale; Sonoran Glass School, Tucson; SOUNDS Academy, Phoenix; Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Flagstaff; Young Arts Arizona Ltd., Phoenix.

Small Business

Benner-Nawman, Inc., Wickenburg; Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix; Manley Films and Media, Phoenix.

Large Business

Desert Financial Credit Union, Phoenix; Nationwide, Scottsdale; The Storytellers Project - Phoenix and Tucson.

Community

City of Yuma; East Valley Children's Theatre, Mesa; Flagstaff Community Band, Flagstaff; Littlewood Fine Art & Community Co-Op, Yuma; Peoria Arts & Cultural Festival, Glendale and Peoria; Phoenix Center for the Arts, Phoenix; PSA Art Awakenings, Phoenix; Scottsdale Philharmonic, Scottsdale; Southwest Shakespeare Company, Mesa; The Heard Museum Guild, Phoenix; Vision for Vets, Prescott Valley; WHAM Arts Organization, Surprise.

Individual

Ted Decker, Phoenix; Michael Fenlason, Tucson; John Fontana, Scottsdale; Mark Mettes, Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix; Hope Ozer, Paradise Valley; Georg Stangelberger, Phoenix Boys Choir; Phoenix; Vincent VanVleet, Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix.

Philanthropy

Susan and Bill Ahearn, Phoenix; James and Louise Glasser, Tucson.

For more information, visit www.azcitizensforthearts.org.