COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) today announced the recipients of the 2023 Columbus Makes Art Excellence Awards. The awards were announced as part of GCAC’s Big Arts Night held at the Southern Theatre and Westin Great Southern Hotel, an adaptation of its annual Community Arts Partnership Awards program.
The Columbus Makes Art Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements in innovation, risk and artistic excellence in a performance, exhibition, program or project. One $15,000 award was given in each category of organizations with budgets of under $1 million and those with budgets over $1 million.
The 2023 nominees are:
Organizations with budgets of under $1 million
- Columbus Cultural Orchestra, The Black History Month Classical Crossover Pop-Up Tour
- Converging Arts Columbus, The Journey: Civil Rights
- Opera Project Columbus, I, Too, Sing America Parts 2 and 3
The winner of the 2023 Columbus Makes Art Excellence Award for a budget under $1 million is Converging Arts Columbus, The Journey: Civil Rights.
Organizations with budgets of $1 million and over
- Lincoln Theatre, Backstage 10thAnniversary Showcase
- National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Identity: Exploring Veteran Narratives through Art + Music
- Short North Stage, Slave Play
The winner of the 2023 Columbus Makes Art Excellence Award for a budget over $1 million is Short North Stage, Slave Play.
Videos honoring all the nominees, showcasing the winners and announcing the Columbus Makes Art Excellence Award recipients can be viewed on YouTube: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAOx9oYArCEuWoJ72uKrY-8a7mQ6ppi-u
In late September, the following award winners were announced. In addition to the award, two of the recipients will be gifted a piece from a local artist, purchased by GCAC:
- Arts Educator Award: Jim Arter, receiving A Vision of Joy… Hope by Queen Brooks and $5,000. Going forward, the award will be named the Jim Arter Arts Educator Award.
- Michael B. Coleman Arts Partner Award: Jeff Edwards, nominated by Stephen Wittmann, receiving A Journeys Wandering in Harmony by Melissa Vogley Woods.
- Dale E. Heydlauff Community Arts Innovation Awards: Harmony Project’s Prison Arts Program, nominated by Eileen Paley and Franklin the People’s Park at Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, nominated by Barbara Brandt. Each Heydlauff Award winner receives a $5,000 prize; Heydlauff provided matching funds to make these awards possible.
During the night’s event, GCAC also celebrated recipients of other significant awards, including:
- Raymond J. Hanley Award: Maggie Smith, receiving $15,000
- Artists Elevated Awards: Jenny Deller, Noah Dixon, Marcus Jackson, Joan Madison and Ricarrdo Valentine. Each received $25,000 earlier this fall.
See full details of those award nominees and winners at: gcac.org/press-release/greater-columbus-arts-council-announces-2023-community-arts-partnership-awards-nominees-and-winners
For more information about the Community Arts Partnership Awards go to: gcac.org/events/big-arts-night
The 2023 Community Arts Partnership Awards program is supported by Canvaas, CAPA, Crane Group, Dale E. Heydlauff, Irrepressible Soul, Mills James Productions, Nationwide, PNC Bank, Sole Classics and ZenGenius.
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners and the Ohio Arts Council.
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Contact: Jami Goldstein
jgoldstein@gcac.org
(614) 221-8492
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CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org
