Press Releases
The Arts and Education Council Announces 2012 Arts Awards Entertainment
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Arts and Education Council is pleased to announce the entertainment line-up for the 21st Annual St. Louis Arts Awards on January 23, 2012 at the Chase Park Plaza. This year’s event features a unique twist in that several of the honorees also will be performing.
Riverview Gardens School District fine arts director Jason Brown, who is receiving the Arts Educator of the Year award, knows his way around a trumpet and is an accomplished player. He will perform with the 17-piece Jazz Edge Big Band, which is likely to dazzle those in attendance and get them on their feet with its repertoire of jazz and big band classics.
The Black Rep founder and producing director Ron Himes will perform a featured scene with honoree Linda Kennedy from the company’s production of “On Golden Pond,” which opens January 4, 2012. Ms. Kennedy, an accomplished actress who has been performing for more than 30 years with The Black Rep, is its artistic associate and education and community programs director. She is the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award.
To end the evening, renowned jazz pianist, producer, arranger and composer Peter Martin, who is being honored with an Excellence in the Arts award, will take the stage with four-time Grammy©-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, for whom he has served as music director and pianist since 2001. Despite their collaboration, the two don’t play together as a duo all that often, so their St. Louis Arts Awards performance will be a rare treat.
“We are very excited about the entertainment for this year’s Arts Awards and we are especially pleased that a few of our honorees will be able to perform and truly showcase their dedication and participation in the arts,” said Council President Cynthia A. Prost.
The 2012 St. Louis Arts Awards will be chaired by Tom Voss, president and CEO of Ameren, and his wife, Carol. Presented since 1992, the St. Louis Arts Awards is the preeminent award ceremony honoring individuals who achieve a legacy of artistic excellence, and organizations and businesses that enrich St. Louis’ arts and cultural community.
For information about tickets for the 2012 St. Louis Arts Awards, please contact 314.289.4004 or visit www.KeepArtHappening.org.
Arts and Education Council – Since 1963, the Arts and Education Council has raised more than $100 million in private funding for the arts – an important task that directly affects the quality of life of our 16-county, bi-state region. With those funds, the Council annually assists approximately 70 nonprofit arts and arts education organizations. Additionally, the Council provides office, rehearsal and performance space for 18 arts nonprofit organizations in the Centene Center for Arts and Education, a unique arts incubator located in Grand Center. Visit www.KeepArtHappening.org or call 314.289.4000 for more information.