Arts On The Horizon To Be Honored With Virginia Commission For The Arts Award

Arts on the Horizon, an interactive theatre for children ages zero to six, is excited to announce its 2017-2018 5th Anniversary Season. As the first theatre company in the United States to stage completely non-verbal performances for young audiences, Arts on the Horizon shows are performed solely with sound, movement and live music to engage children at any stage of language development and also children whose first language may not be English.

From an original pool of over 350 nominees, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the state arts agency, has selected Alexandria's own Arts on the Horizon to receive one of its prestigious "50 for 50 Arts Inspiration Awards" in the category of Emerging Artists and Organizations!

The "50 for 50 Arts Inspiration Awards" were conceived and designed by the Commission as a 50th anniversary tribute to 50 examples of programs, individuals, and organizations critical to the arts in Virginia. The designated "Arts Inspirations" may have played a critical role in the last 50 years, serve as today's leaders and exemplars, or may be tomorrow's visionaries, leading the way to a culturally vibrant future.

Following a statewide call for nominations, nominees for the awards in all categories were accepted for two months this spring. A panel comprised of former commissioners and arts leaders reviewed the nominations this past summer and recommended a slate to the full Board which adopted the final roster this fall. To ensure impartiality, no former commissioners and no state-elected officials were selected for the roster.

Award recipients will be honored with other state arts leaders and supporters at a special reception this fall for a Celebration of the Arts at the Executive Mansion with Governor Terry McAuliffe and First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe.

On Wednesday, January 31, 2018 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. the Commission will hold a 50th Anniversary Program for arts organizations across the state at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. That afternoon Arts on the Horizon will be officially recognized for its achievements. A reception will follow in the Marble Hall.

Commission Chair Shelley Kruger Weisberg (Williamsburg, VA) commented: "The entire Commission applauds the 50 for 50 Arts Inspiration Award recipients whose work is representative of the transformative power of the arts in our Commonwealth". She added, "The impressive array of arts leaders, arts organizations, pinnacle events and artists are a testament to the extraordinary diversity and vitality of the arts in every corner of the state".

Each of the five nomination categories represents a different element of the arts in time and focus. For the Emerging Artists and Organizations category awarded to Arts on the Horizon, the criteria was:

Winners have been in existence under ten years, have demonstrated a benefit to the economic and or social health of the community, have demonstrated artistic excellence, outreach to underserved populations, embraced diversity, and taken a visionary or innovative approach to their work.

ABOUT ARTS ON THE HORIZON

Arts on the Horizon, founded in 2009, is a non-profit theatre with a specific focus of providing performances and education programs for the very young. Our performances are designed to take place in an intimate setting where children not only feel comfortable to learn and explore, but are also an integral part of the performance. We have the utmost respect for children and want what may be their first theatrical performance to entertain them, challenge them, spark creativity and enhance the imaginative play in which many children this age engage. Since 2011, our non-verbal productions have been performed on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Workhouse Arts Center, The Athenaeum and other venues and schools in the DC metro area. In May 2013, the company performed at Cleveland's PlayhouseSquare as part of the national One Theatre World Festival. In Spring of 2015, Arts on the Horizon's show, Blossom's Rainbow, was an event of the 2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival. In January 2016, Arts on the Horizon was nominated for The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. In addition to our performances, we also offer education programs, which provide targeted exploration of themes and ideas in order to help children enhance their language development, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills; all within a meaningful, nurturing environment where children can develop their sense of self and increase their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

For more information about the Virginia Commission for the Arts, visit www.arts.virginia.gov.