The 15th annual Mayor’s Arts Awards nomination forms are now available online at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/maa. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, September 6, 2019 at 5:00 pm. These awards recognize the artistic achievements and contributions to the cultural community of Ventura residents in seven categories:
- Arts Patron, a business or individual whose strong support of the arts has been ongoing through philanthropic and/or volunteer service
- Artist in the Community, an established individual artist in any discipline for artistic excellence and singular efforts in contributing to Ventura’s cultural vitality
- Creative Entrepreneur, a locally owned for-profit business which exemplifies the impact and vitality of Ventura’s creative economy
- Arts Leader, a nonprofit arts professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, organizational stewardship, and partnership within the arts community
- Arts Educator, an individual or organization whose achievements and contributions to arts education have been significant and far-reaching
- Emerging Artist, a working artist under 40 who has demonstrated outstanding promise and commitment to Ventura’s arts community (students are ineligible)
- Student Artist, an active student artist in any discipline under the age of 19 who has demonstrated outstanding promise and commitment to the arts
In September, a panel of community members representing the arts and business worlds, will review applications based on: the significance and magnitude of the nominee’s contributions; leadership in the arts community and commitment to service to the arts; benefit and impact of the nominee’s contribution to the citizens of the City of Ventura; and potential contribution to the arts in the emerging artist and student artist categories. The panel’s selections will be presented to the Cultural Affairs Commission who will make recommendations for the Mayor to approve.
The Mayor will announce honorees on October 7, 2019 and present each recipient with an award at a reception on November 15, 2019 at the Museum of Ventura County. The awards are presented as a joint project of the City Manager’s Office and the Community Partnerships Division.