Arts Wisconsin: Announces Arts in the Community Award presented to Julia Taylor of the Greater Milwaukee Committee

For immediate release

Contact: Anne Katz, Arts Wisconsin

608 255 8316 | akatz@artswisconsin.org

Arts Wisconsin announces

Arts in the Community Award

presented to Julia Taylor of the Greater Milwaukee Committee

Thursday, January 14, 2010, Marcus Center, Milwaukee presented in partnership with Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee, and United Performing Arts Fund

MADISON, WI—Arts Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s statewide arts service, advocacy, and development organization, presented its Arts in the Community award to Julia Taylor, President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, at a reception hosted by Arts Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities on Thursday, January 14, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Milwaukee. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson were the featured speakers at the event.

The annual Arts in the Community awards, presented by Arts Wisconsin in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, and Wisconsin Towns Association, have been created to honor local leaders around the state who have helped the arts grow and thrive in their communities, and to thank them for their exemplary advocacy, support, volunteerism, philanthropy and other assistance on behalf of the arts. Award winners for 2009-2010 were selected by a panel of experts from a highly competitive statewide pool of nominees.

Ms. Taylor was nominated for the award by the Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee and the United Performing Arts Fund, for her outstanding civic leadership through her chairmanship of the United Performing Arts Fund’s annual fundraising campaign and support of the Creative Coalition and cultural development throughout the Milwaukee 7 region.

“Arts Wisconsin, with our partner statewide organizations, is pleased to honor Ms. Taylor for her exceptional commitment to the arts and the creative economy in the Milwaukee region,” said Peter Crawford, President of the Board of Directors of Arts Wisconsin. “This award demonstrates the depth and breadth of support for the arts and creativity by elected officials and civic leaders across the state.”

Arts Wisconsin congratulates Ms. Taylor and salutes her outstanding accomplishments. The Arts in the Community award is a unique works of glass art designed and created by artist Matthew Heindl of Maatwerk Studio in Cazenovia, WI.

Two other “Arts in the Community” awards presented this year:

* Carol Kratchowill, Vice President of the Sauk County Art Association, of Merrimac, nominated by the Sauk County Art Association (SCAA), in partnership with the Wisconsin Towns Association. Ms. Kratchowill was honored for her ongoing advocacy on behalf of SCAA and the arts in Sauk County, and her creative leadership for SCAA’s new “Encore Art! Reuse-Recycle-Rethink” art competition.

* Menomonie Mayor Dennis Kropp and former Dunn County Board member B. Jane Hoyt of Menomonie, nominated by the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities. Mayor Kropp and Ms. Hoyt were recognized for their leadership to restore and renovate the historic Mabel Tainter Theatre building in downtown Menomonie.

For more information on the Arts in the Community awards and on Arts Wisconsin, please contact Anne Katz, Executive Director, 608 255 8316 | akatz@artswisconsin.org | http://www.artswisconsin.org.