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Five Honored at 34th Annual Arts Awards
More than 450 people gathered at the 34th Annual Arts Awards to honor five local arts supporters and celebrate the theme, “The Arts: Catalyst for Change.” Presented by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the event was held on the stage of the Moran Theater at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and sponsored by Regions Bank.
Delores Barr Weaver received the Individual Award for her commitment to sustaining arts organizations through organizational leadership, program funding, and the establishment of endowments. Organizations that have received lead endowment gifts include WJCT Public Broadcasting, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus. Mrs. Weaver has extended program funding to numerous arts organizations such as the Cathedral Arts Project, Florida Ballet, and Stage Aurora, to name a few. The Weaver Academy of Art at the Cummer Museum provides in-depth arts education experiences to eight Title 1 schools. The scope of the project includes teacher training, parental involvement, field trips, in-school outreach, and family passes.
The Corporate Award was presented to The Dalton Agency, which supports numerous organizations with pro bono marketing support including the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) and The Arc Jacksonville’s A.R.T. program, which provides a creative outlet and revenue for adults with disabilities. Additionally, Dalton has provided marketing and public relations support for public art projects including the Otis Smith Foundation’s Sea Cows for Kids and the Child Guidance Center’s Turtle Trails. Creative and marketing support was also provided for the Cultural Council’s on-line calendar ExperienceJax.com.
Moises Ramos was named the 2010 Arts Educator for his work both in the public schools and in the community. An art teacher at Arlington Heights Elementary, Ramos has been the lead art instructor for Lutheran Social Services’ summer program for refugee children. The visual art and photography program involves children ages eight to 18 representing a variety of countries and languages. Ramos also serves children hospitalized at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House by donating “art bags” containing project materials. He is also a lead art instructor for the Cathedral Arts Project.
A Special Recognition Award was presented to the Riverside Arts Market (RAM), Jacksonville’s arts, entertainment and fresh food market. The weekly event has drawn more than 500,000 people in its first year of operation. The open air arts market, located under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge, was conceived of by Dr. Wayne Wood more than 16 years ago after visiting a similar market in Portland, Oregon. Over the years, he and dozens of advocates worked with more than 10 federal, state and local agencies to bring the project to reality. To date more than 700 artists have exhibited and 250 entertainers have performed.
Elizabeth R. “Betsy” Lovett received the Cultural Council’s Individual Hall of Fame Arts Award, marking only the second time that the award has been given. A Jacksonville native, Mrs. Lovett’s service to the arts community spans decades. As chair of the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation, she helped raise more than $800,000 for books, adult literacy programs and community events. In support of its capital campaign, Mrs. Lovett made a gift to establish the Main Library’s courtyard. Mrs. Lovett served for more than 14 years on the Cummer Museum of Art and Garden’s Board of Trustees, and was the first woman to be named Board Chair. Through the years she was instrumental in the Cummer’s fundraising campaigns, garden projects, gallery renovations and art acquisitions. With a special interest in arts education, Mrs. Lovett has actively supported the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and made the lead gift for The Bolles School’s Betsy Lovett Arts Center at the Bartram Campus.
Keynote remarks at the Arts Awards were offered by Rob Gibson, executive and artistic director of the Savannah Music Festival. Gibson was the Founding Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he worked with Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis to create and produce programs in more than 30 countries. Gibson has produced events and recordings for The White House, the Museum of Modern Art, the High Museum of Art and the City of New York. He served on the faculty of The Juilliard School for nine years and taught Marketing at New York University. At the luncheon he discussed how a vibrant arts scene can impact a city’s economic vitality and, in turn, energize and unify its citizens. Winners received an original piece of art by Jacksonville artist Allison Watson. The Cultural Council presents the Arts Awards annually to recognize extraordinary contributions to the growth of the arts in Jacksonville.