A Night Full of Art Stars

MONDAY, OCT. 30

To celebrate the abundance of art and cultural accomplishments in our region, Erie Arts & Culture is holding its annual Fall for Arts and Culture award ceremony at the Erie Playhouse. The fete, now in its third decade, will be held at the Erie Playhouse and a reception to greet the recipients will follow next door at the 21 La Rue Dix event space. 

The award categories cover a wide range of endeavors, from organizational governance to individual achievement. The Leadership Award, which recognizes a business, government, organization, or foundation whose support of arts and culture have had a clear and positive effect on a community is being bestowed upon the Edinboro Art & Music Festival for its 15 years of success. The Corry Area Historical Society captured the Applause Award this year for the work of dedicated volunteers who revitalized the organization when facing closure. Frank Ferko, who has a thirty-year career as an artist and arts educator, is receiving The Imagine Award which recognizes an educator, instructor, or individual artist whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of arts and culture. 

Dafna Rathouse Baier, artistic director of Dafmark Dance Theater, will take home the Bruce Morton Wright Artist of the Year Award. This distinguished award recognizes an individual artist of any medium who has had a significant impact on the arts and culture landscape and is an aid to or an inspiration to others.

In addition this year, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to John Vanco, in honor of his 50 years of service as executive director of the Erie Art Museum. 

Amanda Brown Sissem, executive director of Erie Arts & Culture, says, "This year's honorees reflect the great work happening across Erie County. We're proud to be able to shine a light on the talent and commitment that makes this a vibrant region." 

Erie Arts & Culture will also announce two 2017 fellowships winners. The fellowship program, established in 2016, helps one emerging and one established artist advance their work with cash awards.

Fittingly, EAC award honorees will collect a work by a local artist to commemorate their achievements. This year's winners will receive a painting by Dr. Geoffrey Dunn, a local physician who also takes up the brush and has exhibited locally. 

In all, this is a night to hail the achievers who create art for us to appreciate and confer upon the community a bounty of treasure. — Mary Birdsong

6 p.m. // 13 W. 10th St. // $45 per person, $30 for Erie Arts & Culture members // 452-3427 // erieartsandculture.org