Palm Beach County's Cultural Council Now Accepting Nominations for 2014 Muse Awards

The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County announced today an open Call for Nominations to recognize arts and cultural excellence in its 6th celebratory 2014 Muse Awards. Winners in seven categories will be recognized at the Cultural Council's prestigious Muse Awards gala event on March 13, 2014, at the Raymond F. Kravis Center, in West Palm Beach. Nomination forms and details about the criteria and six-time special event are available online, at: palmbeachculture.com/MuseAwards. The deadline to submit nominations is: 5 p.m. Nov. 15. Sallie Korman and Bruce A. Beal will serve as event chairpersons. The 2014 Muse Awards is generously sponsored by PNC Bank.

The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County's Muse Awards honors individual and organizational excellence in art and culture throughout the county. This year, the Cultural Council is excited to announce the theme of Muse is Fusion: A blend of two divergent ideas to make something beautiful. Award recipients will be chosen through a competitive nomination process. Each nomination will be reviewed and scored by judges who are artists, community leaders, past recipients and Board Members of the Cultural Council. The Cultural Council will announce the award honorees prior to the event.

"The Cultural Council knows that Palm Beach County is rich in examples of cultural excellence, and the Muse Awards is a great way for members of the cultural community and its patrons, to help gain recognition for artists and organizations leading the way among the top in the industry," said Rena Blades, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. "We have big plans for this year's gala with an exciting, sensational theme of Fusion and surprises in store on the program. It's Palm Beach County's version of the Academy Awards, and we invite the community to be a big part of this very special occasion."

Recipients will be honored in the following categories:

Excellence in Historical and Cultural Heritage - The organization nominated in this category has produced a program that demonstrates appreciation for a significant historical theme or preserves and carries on the cultural traditions of a diverse population.

Excellence in Arts and Cultural Outreach - The organization nominated in this category has made a significant impact providing outreach of arts and cultural programming to underserved populations that traditionally did not have access to arts and culture.

Excellence in Arts Integrated Education - This category celebrates a local arts and cultural organization, principal or teacher who provides quality arts integrated curriculum using visual or performing arts through traditional classroom setting or in aftercare programs.

Outstanding Festival - This award will be given to an organization presenting a festival that demonstrates cultural excellence, broad appeal, cultural diversity and outreach to the greater community.

Outstanding Collaboration - This award will be given to a cultural organization engaging in a strategic and significant collaboration. The collaboration must be between at least, but not limited to, one other partner who may be another nonprofit organization, corporation, school, government entity, municipality, etc.

Clyde Fyfe Award for Performing Artists - The Fyfe Award recognizes a performing artist whose life and work emulates excellence in the field and contributes to the advancement of our quality of life in Palm Beach County by mentoring, teaching, or sharing work methods with others in our community. To be considered for the award, an artist must be nominated by his or her professional peers.

Council's Choice Award - This non-competitive award of special merit will honor an individual or institution the Council deems worthy of recognition for an effort or accomplishment not honored in another category. The honoree will be chosen at the Council's discretion and may be drawn from the pool of nomination forms submitted or selected by other means.

For more information about the 2014 Muse Awards, please contact: Jan Rodusky, the Cultural Council's Director of Grants at: jrodusky@palmbeachculture.com, or 561-471-2901.

Past recipients of the Muse Awards, honored in 2012 include: Outstanding Civic Leader - Milton and Tamar Maltz;Outstanding Cultural Leader - Dr. Ray E. Robinson; Outstanding Arts Educator - Stephen Backus; Outstanding Art or Cultural Program of the Year - Obon, The Morikami's Bon Festival; Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization budget under $500,000 - The Palm Beach Poetry Festival, Inc.; and, Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization budget over $500,000 - Boca Raton Museum of Art; Ubertalli Award for Visual Arts - Carol Prusa.

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