Celebrate the Arts is an annual event hosted by The Arts Council to pay tribute to individuals and organizations that have made a lasting local impact in the arts.
The event, which includes entertainment, food and a raffle, also recognizes six award recipients for their work in helping the arts thrive in the Brazos Valley.
Below is the full list of winners courtesy of The Arts Council:
Recipient of the 2015 Volunteer of the Year award, Ann Wiatt has served as a founding member and board member of several arts organizations in Bryan and College Station. Always the first to lend a hand, she works tirelessly to promote and garner community support for the arts. Her dedicated volunteerism has made a significant impact on the arts in the Brazos Valley, and we are honored to recognize her as a valued member of our community!
The 2015 Arts Champion award recognizes Brad Stafford for his exceptional work as City Manager of Navasota. Since 2006, Brad has been a driving force for the arts in the community, through public art, arts and music festivals, creative businesses, and downtown development. In addition, he has been a true partner to the Arts Council in his efforts with the Navasota Artist in Residency Program and in providing and increasing funding opportunities to arts agencies in his city.
We are honored to recognize Steve Beachy with the 2015 D.A. “Andy” Anderson award. This is the Arts Council’s lifetime achievement award and is given to individuals who have proven time and time again, over many years, exemplary support of the arts, culture and heritage of the Brazos Valley. Steve’s role with the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial in bringing high quality public art to the Lynn Stuart Pathway to honor all veterans and in making the park a destination for heritage and arts tourism exemplifies the true spirit of this award.
The 2015 recipient of the Jane Wolfe Distinguished Arts Leadership Award is Warren Finch, Director at The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. This award is presented to individuals whose work in the Brazos Valley arts community provides leadership beyond their organization and across a variety of disciplines. Warren has been a dedicated advocate for the arts through various leadership roles with arts organizations in the community. His efforts in making the Bush Library the leading arts, culture and history destination in the Brazos Valley as well as his impactful and selfless service exemplify the true purpose of this award.
Cherry and JJ Ruffino of Cherry Ruffino Realtors are the recipients of the 2015 Business Arts Patrons award. They have both selflessly shared countless hours of their time, knowledge and resources in service to non-profit organizations in the Brazos Valley, and encouraged others to do so as well. They have made a lasting impact on the community through their leadership and dedication to always improving the quality of life in this community.
The Artist of the Year award has been renamed this year in memory of Calvert artist M. L. “Sonny” Moss. As the Executive Artistic Director at Unity Theatre in Brenham, Kate Revnell-Smith has set the standard for excellence and continually brings high quality, professional theatrical productions to the Brazos Valley, while supporting the efforts of performing artists. She is a true ambassador for the arts in the Brazos Valley and her work with Unity Theatre exemplifies Sonny’s passion for sharing high quality artistic experiences with the community.
Celebrate the Arts is Monday, September 21st at 5:30 p.m. at the Brazos County Expo. Individual tickets are $100 and table sponsorships start at $1,200.
Click here to purchase tickets, become a table sponsor and for more information.
Click below to hear Rachel Hoekstra visiting with WTAW’s Chelsea Reber.