FIRST LADY ANNOUNCES 2006 GOVERNORS AWARDS
6/9/2006
Source
WILKES-BARRE – Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, First Lady of the commonwealth, announced today that the 2006 Governors Awards for the Arts will be held at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20, at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre.
In keeping with a gubernatorial tradition that began 26 years ago, we are proud to continue this celebration of excellence and achievement in the arts in Pennsylvania, said the First Lady, who was joined in the announcement by Philip Horn, executive director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Diane Dalto, the councils chairman. Governor Rendell and I are eager to bring the presentation of these awards to Luzerne County, enabling another unique region of our commonwealth to join in honoring outstanding artists, arts organizations and patrons who have made lasting contributions to cultural advancements in our state.
Past recipients of the honor have included Jimmy Stewart, Marian Anderson, Andrew Wyeth, James Michener, Chaim Potok, Peter Nero, Fred Rogers, M. Night Shyamalan, Marilyn Horne, Lang Lang, and August Wilson.
Governor Rendell will recognize contributions to the arts in five categories: the Distinguished Arts Award; the Patron Award; Outstanding Leadership and Service in the Arts for Youth Award; the Pennsylvania Creative Community Award; and, the Artist of the Year (The Hazlett Memorial Award). Nominations come from an open call to arts organizations, artists, arts patrons, elected officials and members of the public. A panel comprised of current members of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts will then review the nominations and make their recommendations to Governor Rendell.
With the selection of Wilkes-Barre as this years host city, Governor Rendell joins in the celebration of the Citys 200th anniversary and continues the tradition of holding the awards in a different Pennsylvania location each year. This enables new regions of the commonwealth to share in the celebration of the contributions of the arts to the vitality of Pennsylvania and to feature the wealth of their own cultural assets. Past host cities have included Greensburg, Reading, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, Altoona, and Philadelphia. The awards ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a ticketed reception. To receive an invitation to this years Governors Awards for the Arts, contact the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts at (717) 787-6883, Ext. 3040.
The Governors Awards for the Arts is administered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency under the Office of the Governor. Created in 1966, the councils mission is to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania, and to broaden the availability and appreciation of the arts.
An electronic version of the Request for Nominations form for the 2006 Governors Awards for the Arts is available online at www.pacouncilonthearts.org. For a print version of this form, or for additional information about the awards, call 717-787-6883, Ext. 3040.
