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Arts Commission News

MAC Announces 2010 Recipients for Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts

DATE:          November 2, 2009 

CONTACT:    Susan Dobbs, Public Relations Director

601/359-6031, sdobbs@arts.state.ms.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

JACKSON - The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is proud to announce the outstanding recipients of the 2010 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.  These recipients will be honored at the 22nd annual public ceremony at 1:00 pm on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson.   This year’s five awards and recipients are:

 

Arts in Community                  Lenagene Waldrup

                                                    Cleveland, MS

 

Excellence in                           Grassroots Radio Show

Broadcasting                            Serving all of Mississippi         

 

Mississippi Heritage               Bessie Johnson

                                                    West Point, MS

 

Artistic Excellence                  Wyatt Waters

                                                    Clinton, MS

Lifetime Achievement             David “Honeyboy” Edwards

                                                                  of Shaw, MS

                                                     Now resides in Chicago, IL

           

             “The Mississippi Arts Commission, along with the Governor’s Office, is pleased to announce the five recipients who will be presented awards at the 2010 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.  The judges had a very difficult task in choosing five out of the 46 outstanding nominations that were submitted,” said Malcolm White, Executive Director of MAC.  “We invite all Mississippians to join us at the ceremony in February when we honor the vast and remarkable artistic traditions of this state.”

Awards are made to individuals and organizations for outstanding work in a wide variety of art forms including visual, performing arts, community development through the arts, and arts in broadcasting. (Recipients do not have to currently reside in Mississippi, but they must have significant ties to the state through some years of residency.)

            Visual artist Bill Dunlap, who received a Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 1991, will design and craft the actual awards to be presented to the recipients, and he will once again serve as master of ceremonies, as he has since 1992.

    

            The 2010 commemorative poster is the third in the series featuring facilities across the state that have received a grant through the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Building Fund for the Arts.   The poster image, photographed by Tom Joynt, was taken on the Ohr–O’Keefe Museum of Art campus in Biloxi.   Designed by Frank Gehry, one of the 21st century’s most innovative and admired architects, the five structures on the new campus were 15 months from opening when Katrina struck on August 29, 2005.  Featured in the image are sculptural pods clad in stainless steel panels that will be connected by a central glass-enclosure.  Upon completion, the pods will house the George E. Ohr Gallery. The poster is being designed by Vidal Blankenstein of Jackson.

Event sponsorships make the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts a memorable and special occasion.  Several levels of participation are available.  Those interested should contact Susan Dobbs at the Mississippi Arts Commission at 601/359-6031 or sdobbs@arts.state.ms.us.

           The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation, Donna & Jim Barksdale, The Phil Hardin Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources.  MAC is the official grants-making and service agency for the arts in Mississippi. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.

The Governor’s Awards ceremony will be held at 1:00pm on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson, and will be free and open to the public.

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