16th Annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County Gala Raises $102,000

On Saturday, March 23, over 500 business and arts leaders attended the Arts Council's 16th Annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County Gala at Howard Community College's Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center in Columbia. This year's annual benefit gala raised $102,000, with an additional $110,000 in donated goods and services in support of the arts in Howard County. Since 1998, over $1 million has been raised through Celebration of the Arts!

A highlight of the evening was the 2013 Rising Star competition. After viewing ten amazing Rising Star finalists, the audience selected dancer Margaret Kudirka as the 2013 Rising Star winner and recipient of a $5,000 professional development award for her exhilarating contemporary ballet performance, which she choreographed to Edith Piaf's No Regrets. The other talented finalists who performed at the Celebration were MaryLee Adams (Musical Theatre); Mary Matthews & Melissa Wertheimer, Dahlia Flute Duo; James Ginnever (Musical Theatre); Rebecca Hargrove (Classical Voice); Shawn Naar (Monologue); Woobin Park (Piano); Margo Seibert (Musical Theatre); Tian Lu & Yuri Shadrin, Shadrin & Lu Piano Duo; and Jennifer Sung (Classical Voice).

The 2012 Howie Awards were presented for outstanding leadership in the arts in Howard County. The recipients were: Bruce Nelson for Outstanding Artist, Shawn Costello for Outstanding Arts Educator, and Kevin Kelehan for Outstanding Community Supporter of the Arts. A special Legacy in the Arts Award was also presented to Pat and Steve Teller.

During the reception guests were entertained by the Baltimore-based band The Lucky Few, comprised of Tony Waddy and Paul Krysiak, in the Studio Theatre, and by roving characters in costume from Drama Learning Center's Teen Professional Company.

Guest performers featured on stage were Columbia-based Misako Ballet Company, with guest dancer Lester Holmes and choreography by Eva Anderson, and accompanist Brant Challacombe on the piano.

Nineteen of the county's finest restaurants and caterers provided food for the gala and competed for Best Display. Wegmans was awarded first place for Best Display; Absolutely Perfect Catering finished in second place, and Iron Bridge Wine Company was third. The silent auction featured 93 local artists, who contributed 122 works of art, and 68 works of art were sold!

Each year, proceeds from the Celebration support grants to local arts organizations and schools (grades K-12); scholarships for emerging artists, and programs in the arts. The Arts Council salutes all of the board and committee members, sponsors, guests, artists and volunteers who made the event such an overwhelming success.

For more information, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit the Arts Council website: www.hocoarts.org.

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