Former Sen. Carolyn Allen, Bill Sheppard Receives Shelley Award for Arts Advocacy

Two of Arizona's longest-serving and most ardent arts advocates and supporters will share the 6th annual Shelley Arts Advocate Award which will be presented at the 30th annual Governor's Arts Awards at the Herberger Theater on Tuesday, April 12.

Former State Senator Carolyn Allen, a consistent and vocal arts advocate during her 16-year tenure in the Arizona legislature, and Bill Sheppard, an attorney with Gammage and Burnham whose service on arts boards stretches over a quarter of a century, were selected as co-winners of the annual award. The Shelley Award, presented to an Arizona individual who has advanced the arts through strategic and innovative work in creating or supporting public policy beneficial to the arts in Arizona, is named for Shelley Cohn, who spent more than 25 years as executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Allen and Sheppard will be recognized along with honorees in six categories at the 30th Anniversary Governor's Arts Awards.

As a Republican legislator from Scottsdale, Allen consistently refused to vote for the state budget when it did not include arts funds. She retired in 2010. In 2006, she led the effort to ensure completion of the Arizona ArtShare endowment fund to fulfill the state's promise of $20 million in total, funds that were swept during last year's legislative session. In 2007, Allen received the State Arts Leadership Award from Americans for the Arts for her advocacy.
Among her many additional accolades, Allen was namEd Scottsdale Woman of the Year by the Women of Scottsdale in 2004 and Legislator of the Year, State Senate, by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in 2003.

Before shifting her focus to the Arizona Legislature, Allen was Development Director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the Scottsdale Cultural Council. She also served as Executive Director of the Scottsdale Cultural Council and President of its board of directors. She has been a member of Arizona Citizens for the Arts since 2003.
A native of Globe, Sheppard earned his Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from the University of Arizona and his law degree from the Yale Law School. He has been a practicing attorney in the state since 1973.

He served on the Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) Board of Trustees from 1986-1997 and from 1999-2005, serving as chairman from 1995-1997 and as Honorary Co-Chair of the ATC Gala in 1999. He has been a Trustee Emeritus since 2007. Sheppard was a member of the Phoenix Arts Commission (now the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture) from 1995 to 2001 serving as Chair of the Grants Committee and Advocacy Committee and as both Vice Chair and Chair of the Commission.

A board member of Arizona Citizens for the Arts from 2002 to 2010, he was Chair of Arizona Action for the Arts for two years. He also was a member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts from 2003 to 2009. Sheppard has received the AriZoni Theatre Award for Distinguished Service, the Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the National Society of Fund Raising Executives for his work for ATC and that organization's Georgy Award. He also received the 2006 Arts Advocate of the Year Award from the Arts & Business Council of Greater Phoenix.
Sheppard is a season ticket holder at Arizona Theatre Company and Actors Theater and a dedicated Arizona Cardinal fan.

A total of 76 Governors Arts Awards nominations representing 22 cities and towns statewide were received for consideration by an independent panel of judges
During the past three decades, 138 awards have been presented by 7 Arizona governors. All previous honorees will be recognized at the 2011 event. Every surviving Arizona governor who presided over past Governor's Arts Awards has been invited to attend this year's celebration. Current Governor Jan Brewer is the Honorary Chair.
Tickets for the Oscar-style presentation, which include hors d'oeuvres and refreshments before the event and a dessert reception afterwards, are $135 each for members of Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts and $150 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased online at www.governorsartsawards.org.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and refreshments. Honorees will be recognized at 7 p.m. following by a dessert reception at 8 p.m.

The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts, the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Office of the Governor to recognize outstanding achievement and contributions to the Arizona arts community.

Honorees in all categories will receive specially created art pieces by Arizona artists.
For questions, additional information, table sales or ticket purchases, call Arizona Citizens for the Arts at (602) 253-6535 or visit www.GovernorsArtsAwards.org.

 

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