Contact: Anne Katz, Arts Wisconsin
608 255 8316 | akatz@artswisconsin.org
Presented by Arts Wisconsin in partnership with the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Wisconsin Towns Association
MADISON, WI—Arts Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s statewide arts service, advocacy, and development organization, is pleased to announce the recipients of the third 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 for their exemplary advocacy, support, volunteerism, philanthropy and other assistance on behalf of the arts.
The 2011 Arts in the Community award recipients are:
* Mayor Jeff Scrima of Waukesha, nominated by Diane McGeen of the Waukesha Choral Union. Elected in 2010, Mayor Scrima has already greatly impacted the artistic culture of his hometown, dedicating time and energy to making Waukesha a vibrant city for the arts. In keeping with his campaign promise, he is the major contributor to the recently established “New Day for Waukesha” fund. The fund is expected to grow during his term and is pledged to the creation of an exciting new aesthetic for the gateways of Waukesha’s devoted cultural community. Mayor Scrima is committed to creating a public discourse on the need for artistic expression and recently invited area artists to participate in a “color-renovation” of City Hall, with art exhibits displayed throughout the building.
* Bill Schierl, President of the Arts Alliance of Portage County, Stevens Point, nominated by Gerard McKenna of the Stevens Point Sculptural Park Committee and Fox Theater Steering Committee; and Sarah Robinson, former Executive Director of the Stevens Point Downtown Business Association. Mr. Schierl has led the revitalization of the Arts Alliance of Portage County, beginning in 2003. As an active advocate for the arts, Mr. Schierl has been integral in the development and advancement of the new Stevens Point Sculptural Park Committee, Arts Bash at UW – Stevens Point, the Riverfront Jazz Festival Committee, the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, and the steering committee for the refurbishing of the Fox Theatre. As co-CEO of Team Schierl Companies, Mr. Schierl applies his business savvy to assisting creative entrepreneurs community-wide, and his support of the arts in Portage County has been critical to the vibrancy of the arts scene throughout the county.
These awards will be presented at the League of Wisconsin Municipalities’ 113th Annual Conference, Tuesday, October 19, 2011, at the Wyndham Airport Hotel in Milwaukee.
The Wisconsin Towns Association award will be announced in the near future.
The 2011 award winners were selected by a panel of arts and community leaders from a highly competitive statewide pool of nominees. The 2011 Arts in the Community awards are unique works of glass art designed and created by Matthew Heindl of Maatwerk Studio in Blue Mounds, WI.
Arts Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s voice for the arts: the premier independent statewide membership organization speaking up and working for the arts, arts education and creative economy across Wisconsin. The organization’s mission, to speak up, advocate for, and advance the arts, creativity and culture throughout Wisconsin, connects and serves the wide-ranging, diverse and creative constituency of people, organizations and communities making 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 nonpartisan 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, educational programs and legal information. More information about WTA is at http://www.wisctowns.com.
All three partners congratulate the award winners 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, 608 255 8316 | akatz@artswisconsin.org | http://www.artswisconsin.org.
