Arts Wisconsin: Announces the winners of the 2010 “Arts in the Community” awards

Arts Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s independent voice for the arts in Wisconsin, has honored community cultural leaders and programs with the second annual Arts in the Community Awards. These awards, presented by Arts Wisconsin in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Wisconsin Towns Association, honor local elected officials and civic leaders around the state who have championed the arts as integral to economic, educational and community vitality and their exemplary advocacy, support, volunteerism, philanthropy and other assistance on behalf of the arts.

The 2010 Arts in the Community award winners are:

# Lois Smith of Wittenberg, the visionary behind the “Walls of Wittenberg.” State Sen. Jim Holperin of Eagle River presented the award to Ms. Smith at the conference. The Walls of Wittenberg is a village-wide art project that currently encompasses 16 painted murals on the walls of downtown Wittenberg buildings. Ms. Smith has shown determination and devotion to establish and and advance partnerships throughout the community on behalf of this exciting community development project. In addition to the murals, an elegant new site for art shows, concerts and community events – known as the WOWSPACE – has come into being through Ms. Smith’s leadership and the work of dedicated community volunteers.

# The Green Bay Neighborhood Leadership Council’s Beautification Committee, nominated by Glen Slaats of Green Bay. Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt presented the award to members of the Committee, which includes the Presidents of more than 30 neighborhood associations, community activists, and city staff and is charged with beautification of city neighborhoods. The Committee has enhanced the atmosphere along the Fox River Trail in downtown Green Bay by commissioning and installing unique sculpture, much of it created by NE Wisconsin artists, along the trail. The installed works are a destination for residents and visitors, have become symbols of a revitalized waterfront, and have appeared on the cover of tourism publications. Mayor Jim Schmitt noted that, “as Mayor of Green Bay, I am proud to have the Beautification Committee and am thankful to the individuals who are committed to promoting the arts in our community. They constantly strive to make this a better place to live, work and raise a family.” This award is sponsored by the Urban Alliance of the League of Municipalities.

Presented in partnership with the Wisconsin Towns Association, at the WTA Convention, October 5, 2010, in La Crosse, WI:

* The Hometown Gazette, Clayton, WI, headquartered in the town of Clayton, WI, published monthly by the Northern Lakes Center for the Arts of Amery, WI, for the benefit of all residents living in the area. The newspaper features original stories, poems, and essays, as well as news articles and editorials, written by members of the Northern Lakes Writers’ Guild. The newspaper’s content always carries a strong local focus and includes creative writing, reprinting of local historical booklets and papers, student achievements and school happenings, gardening, cuisine, a local business feature, local town board minutes, as well as a full range of current LaMoine MacLaughlin, Clayton Citizens Bank Pres. Dennis Vogel, Anne Katznews events. Local and statewide arts events always get special coverage. The Hometown Gazette is an outstanding example of community-focused media providing extensive support of community-based arts and culture. The newspaper has grown over the past eight years into a circulation of 6,200 and is financially supported by 70-75 ad s in each issue. Dennis Vogel, President of Citizen State Bank of Clayton, assisted in presenting the award to editor and publisher LaMoine MacLaughlin.

The 2010 award winners were selected by a panel of experts from a highly competitive statewide pool of nominees.

Arts Wisconsin is the premier independent statewide membership organization speaArts Wisconsin hands logoking up and working for the arts, arts education and creative economy throughout Wisconsin. The organization’s mission, to speak up, advocate for, and advance the arts, creativit y and culture throughout Wisconsin, connects and serves the wide-ranging, diverse and creative constituency of people, organizations and communities makin g the arts come alive in every corner of Wisconsin. More information on Arts Wisconsin is at http://www.artswisconsin.org.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities is a voluntary nonprofit and League of Wisconsin Municipalitiesnonpartisan association of cities and villages that acts as an information clearinghouse, lobbying organization and legal resource for Wisconsin municipalities. More information about the League is at http://www.lwm-info.org.

The Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA) is a statewide, voluntary, non-profit and non-partisan association of member town and village governments in the State of Wisconsin. WTA supports local control of government and protects the interest of towns. WTA provides its members with legislative lobbying efforts, eduWisconsin Towns Associationcational programs and legal information. Moreinformation about WTA is at http://www.wisctowns.com.

The 2010 Arts in the Community awards are unique works of glass art designed and created by Matthew Heindl of Maatwerk Studio in Blue Mounds, WI.

Nomination forms for the 2011 “Arts in the Community” awards will be available starting in July 2011, with awards to be presented in October 2011.

All three partners congratulate these individuals and their communities and salute their outstanding accomplishments. For more information on the annual Arts in the Community awards and on the arts, arts education and creative economy in Wisconsin, contact Anne Katz, Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin at 608 255 8316 | akatz@artswisconsin.org | http://www.artswisconsin.org.