Nominations Open For 2016 Governor's Art Awards

Nominations are now open for the 36th Annual Governor's Arts Awards, which will be presented in eight categories to individuals, businesses and organizations that have made substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture in Arizona. A new category will recognize an individual for contributions in arts and culture philanthropy.

Deadline for nominations, which should be submitted online at www.azcitizensforthearts.org/governors-arts-awards, is 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 16.

Format Changes For 2017 Selection, Announcement Process

Among several changes put in place for the 2017 selection and announcement process, nominees, who will be chosen by an independent panel of judges, will be recognized at a special Nominee Event in early 2017 when three finalists in each category will be announced. A separate panel of judges will select the final honorees from the list of finalists.

Winners will be announced at the Governor's Arts Awards dinner and celebration, May 4, 2017 at the Phoenician Resort. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Office of the Governor.

Additional modifications, primarily affecting the Governor's Arts Awards celebratory event, will be announced in the coming months.

Governor's Arts Awards Categories

Since 1981, more than 200 artists, individuals, arts and cultural organizations, educators and businesses have received Governor's Arts Awards.

Categories are:

• Artist: recognizing a living Arizona artist of significant merit, leadership or renown whose creations or contributions enrich the state and the field of the arts. This category is open to artists of all disciplines.

• Individual: recognizing an individual for significant contributions to the arts in Arizona in arts leadership, support and/or volunteerism.

• Community: recognizing a community organization or institution that has demonstrated significant support of or participation in community-based programs or services fostering excellence in, appreciation of, or access to the arts in Arizona. Schools or school districts are not eligible in this category.

• Arts In Education Organization: recognizing a nonprofit arts organization or school that has demonstrated significant support or participation in activities which foster excellence in, appreciation of, or access to arts education in Arizona.

• Arts In Education Individual: recognizing educators, teaching artists, school administrators or school volunteers who have demonstrated significant support or participation in activities fostering excellence in, appreciation of, or access to arts education in Arizona.

• Small Business: recognizing small, private businesses (1-99 employees), demonstrating significant support locally or statewide, through a contribution of time, energy, personnel, expertise and/or financial support or by participation in activities which foster excellence in, appreciation of, or access to the arts.

• Large Business: recognizing large (100-plus employees) private businesses demonstrating significant support through time, energy and/or financial support or by participation in activities which foster excellence in, appreciation of, or access to the arts throughout the state.

• Arts Philanthropy: recognizing an individual's demonstrated leadership in philanthropy through personal financial contributions to one or more arts and culture nonprofit organizations and, by example, encouraging the financial support of others as well as the demonstrated impact of the philanthropy on the operations of the organization or organizations.

Nominees in all categories must be either living residents of Arizona, a business operating in and for the benefit of Arizona, a school or a community organization. Business, arts organizations or school honorees that have won the award may be nominated again if at least five years have passed since receiving the award. Previous individual Governor's Arts Awards recipients in any category are not eligible.

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