Flagstaff Cultural Partners is announcing the nominations for the 2014 Viola Awards. This year’s Viola Awards Gala will take place on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at the High Country Conference Center. Flagstaff Business News’ Editor Bonnie Stevens is among the nominees.
The Viola Awards are Flagstaff’s Oscars for the arts and sciences community. Celebrating excellence in the arts and sciences, the Viola Awards recognize artists, educators, organizations and leaders who make positive contributions to the arts and sciences in Flagstaff. From a pool of nominees submitted by the community at large, a panel selects final nominees in each category to be the Official Viola Award Nominees from which a winner will be announced at the Gala.
“There is a rigorous review process to select the most artistically outstanding projects from 2013. To even become a nominee is an honor,” said Elizabeth Hellstern, Deputy Director of Visual Arts and Marketing. “The competition is fierce. Our aim is to identify and award the highest expression of excellence in art and contribution to community.”
Nominations in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Storytelling are based on projects or works of art completed and/or presented in 2013.
Additionally, Flagstaff Cultural Partners has announced the recipients of 2014 Mayor’s Legacy Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts. Kay Poen, long time musician and music educator, and Baje Whitethorne, Sr., world-renowned artist, will be honored with the Legacy Awards at the Viola Awards Gala on March 1. More information about each recipient is posted online at http://culturalpartners.org/viola-legacy.htm.
The following are the nominees listed for each category of a Viola Award for Excellence:
VISUAL ARTS: This award is given to an artist, group of artists, or organization for the production of an excellent work or exhibition of visual art, produced and displayed during 2013 in the greater Flagstaff area.
The nominees are:
• Shonto Begay – Four Seasons Mural
• Mike Frankel, John Rogers and Tom Williams – The Mars Kaleidisphere
• Jenn Jones – Recycled Art Fashion Show
• Mural Mice – Route 66 Phoenix Avenue Mural
• NAU Art Museum – Tangibles: Beauty and Purpose in the Art of the Book
• Shawn Skabelund – Virga: The Hunt for Water
PERFORMING ARTS (music, dance, theater, etc.): This award is given to a musician, performing artist, group of musicians/performing artists, or organization for the presentation of music or performing arts production, performed or produced during 2013 in the greater Flagstaff area.
The nominees are:
• Alisa Davis – The Cemetary Club
• Ed Kabotie – Stories to Life
• Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra – Lost in Space
• Flagstaff Youth Theater – The Little Mermaid
• NAU School of Music – Richard Wagner 200th Birthday Celebration Concert
• Tony Norris, Kathleen McGeever, and Season Ellison – Hard Times on the Mother Road
• Velocity Squared (John Masserini and Jonathan Bergeron)—Flux
• Bob Yowell – Spring Awakening
STORYTELLING (film, video, writing, etc.): This award is given to a writer, film maker, organization, or other storyteller for the production of an excellent work of art produced and presented during 2013 in the greater Flagstaff area.
The nominees are:
• Laura Gray-Rosendale – College Girl
• Mike Levin – On Thinking
• M.L. Lincoln – Wrenched
• James Q. Martin – Streams of Consequence
• Seth Muller – Convergence
• James Jay and Jesse Sensibar – Narrow Chimney Reading Series
• Nicole Walker – Quench Your Thirst With Salt
EMERGING ARTIST: This award is given to an emerging or student artist in any genre (visual, performing, music, literature, film, etc.) for a body of work that is excellent and/or shows promise in his/her field. The recipient of this award should be relatively new to her/his field, or a student in the field.
The nominees are:
• Greg Brown
• Anam Cara Dixon
• Ben Jordan
• NAU Photojournalism Student Group
• Michele Ralston
ARTS EDUCATION: Awarded to an educator active in the Flagstaff area for three years for outstanding work and contributions to arts education.
The nominees are:
• Thomas Byers
• Gina Darlington
• Jon Eder
• Stephanie Galloway
• Karin Hallberg
• Mike Levin
• Timothy McKay
SCIENCE EDUCATION: Awarded to an educator active in the Flagstaff area for three years for outstanding work and contributions to science education.
The nominees are:
• Josh Armstrong
• Max Dass
• Kris Haskins
• Christopher Hull
• Cathy Propper
• Jillian Worssam
BUSINESS FOR THE ARTS: This award is given to a locally-based business for outstanding leadership in support of the arts through volunteerism, philanthropy, or other support in 2013.
The nominees are:
• Brandy’s Restaurant
• Criollo Latin Kitchen
• Freeman Law
• Hidden Light/The Framing Dept.
• West of the Moon Gallery
LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES: This award is given to an individual for outstanding leadership in the arts and/or sciences in the Flagstaff area.
The nominees are:
• Jeff Hall – Lowell Observatory
• Bonnie Stevens – Flagstaff Festival of Science and KNAU Arizona Public Radio
• Todd Sullivan – NAU School of Music
• Stan Sutherland – Theatrikos Theatre Company
Individual tickets to the Viola Awards Gala are $60 and available for purchase by visiting www.culturalpartners.org. To inquire about table sponsorships please contact Elizabeth Vogler at [email protected] or by dialing (928) 779-2300 ext. 109. For more information about this event contact Coconino Center for the Arts by dialing (928) 779-2300 or visit http://www.culturalpartners.org/viola11.htm.