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Rockford Area Arts Awards

Rockford Area Arts Awards

CONGRATULATIONS ROCKFORD AREA ARTS AWARDS 2024

Arts Educator of the Year | New Genres Art Space

Distinguished Artist of the Year | Nancie King Mertz

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Individual | Jennifer Kuroda

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Organization/Company |Maze Books

Innovation in the Arts Award | Rock & Roll Institute

Literary Excellence | Kimberla Lawson Roby

Performing Artist of the Year | Caitlyn Baylor & Meghan Baylor

Placemaking + Spacemaking | Domingos En El Parque

Production of the Year | Soar Awards

Visual Artist of the Year | Molly Carter

Young Arts Ambassador | Dice White

Lifetime Achievement | Jeff Hendry

Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam | Bruce McDonald

Distinguished Artist of the Year | Betsy Youngquist

Visual Artist of the Year | Brett Whitacre

Performing Artist of the Year | Micky Torpedo

Production of the Year | The Studio: The Girls of Summer

Innovation in the Arts | SOMNIUM: The Book of Dreams and Nightmares

Arts Educator of the Year | Judith Meyer

Young Arts Ambassador | Lincoln Halverson

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Individual | Norm Knott

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Organization/Company | Tad More Tailoring

Placemaking + Spacemaking | Stay and Sew

Lifetime Achievement Award | Dorothy Paige Turner

Distinguished Artist of the Year | Fatherless Print Posse

Visual Artist of the Year | Jenny Mathews

Performing Artist of the Year | Robert Rub

Innovation in the Arts | 317 Art Collective

Arts Educator of the Year | Brian Hierstein

Youth Arts Ambassador | Juwayria Zahurullah

Excellence in Service to the Arts | Stars of Light – Stepping Stones

Placemaking + Spacemaking | Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Public Art of the Year | Women’s Suffrage Centennial Plaza & Committee

Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam | Deborah Newton

Distinguished Artist of the Year | Steven Larsen

Visual Artist of the Year | Manny “Chinacat” Tang

Performing Artist of the Year | Richard Raether

Film of the Year | Bryan Nambo

Innovation in the Arts | Eddaviel Montero

New Media Artist of the Year | Iga Puchalska

Placemaking + Spacemaking | Dance at the Dells (Meghan and Caitlyn Baylor)

Public Art of the Year | Scott Yates

Arts Educator | Maria Castello

Youth Arts Ambassador | Tamir Bell

Excellence in Service to the Arts | The Arc of Winnebago, Boone & Ogle Co

Categories

Distinguished Artist of the Year: This individual is recognized as distinguished in their discipline, having made a significant contribution to the Rockford community through the arts over their career. This is an honorary position for one year, during which the individual will serve as an arts ambassador for the Rockford Region.

Young Arts Ambassador: This individual is recognized as having made a significant contribution in the Rockford community through the arts. This is an honorary position for one year, during which the individual will serve as a young arts ambassador in the Rockford area. Must be in Middle or High School.

Visual Artist of the Year: Recognizes an individual visual artist who demonstrated significant achievement in, or contribution to, the Visual Arts in the Rockford Area in 2023.

Performing Artist of the Year: Recognizes an individual performing artist or ensemble (music, dance, choreography, actor, etc) who demonstrated significant achievement in, or contribution to, the Arts in the Rockford Area in 2023.

Production of the Year: Awarded to an individual, business, ensemble, or organization that produced the best local theatre, film, media, or live production in the Rockford Area in 2023.

Innovation in the Arts Award: Awarded to an individual, business, or organization whose work in the Rockford Area pushed the traditional boundaries of the art market by use of new or emergent media, a new perspective on an old theme, or avant-garde digital integration in 2023.

Arts Educator of the Year: Awarded to a Rockford Area educator who has demonstrated exceptionalism in education either through a career of leadership and mentorship or through a specific student-led project in 2023.

Literary Excellence: Awarded to a Rockford Area individual, or agency, who has demonstrated exceptionalism in the literary arts through authorship, performance, and/or contribution to the overall literary community in 2023.

Placemaking + Spacemaking: Recognizes an individual, business, organization, public art installation, or event that enhanced life for Rockford Area residents through the arts in 2023.

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Individual: Recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution in support of the Arts in the Rockford Area in 2023.

Excellence in Service to the Arts Award – Organization/Company: Recognizes a business or organization that has made a significant contribution in support of the Arts in the Rockford Area in 2023.