28th annual Arts Ovation Awards at Renaissance Hotel
The Allentown Arts Commission and the City of Allentown present the 28th Annual Allentown Arts Ovation Awards, 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 10, Renaissance Hotel at PPL Center, Allentown.
Seven recipients in seven categories will be honored. The Baum School of Art, Civic Theatre of Allentown and Community Music School will also bestow scholarships in art, theater and music to students from Allentown’s high schools.
“The Allentown Arts Commission believes that the arts, splendidly represented by this year’s honorees, are a major contributing factor to the current renaissance of our beloved city. Along with the amazing redevelopment efforts of both private and public entities, the arts have continued to imbue the area with a lively cultural ambience,” said Sharon Glassman, Chair of the Allentown Arts Commission.
“Last year’s event, a smashing success, heralded our return to downtown. We are thrilled to once again take pride in this sparkling new city and the extraordinary artists and philanthropists who distinguish Allentown as a culturally significant community,” Glassman said.
Although this year’s event will again feature food, beverages and entertainment, the Arts Ovation Committee, co-chaired by Jane Brown Heft and Susan Rutt, is introducing a new format.
“We are not only excited about the changes, but also by the quality of the numerous nominees from whom this year’s outstanding recipients were selected. The Commission looks forward to applauding their unique contributions to the vitality of our Allentown arts scene,” said Rutt.
The recipients of the 2016 Arts Ovation Awards are:
Outstanding Philanthropy:
Julius and Katheryn Hommer Foundation
Julius Hommer, a tool and die maker from Newark, N.J., and his wife, Katheryn, founded Hommer Tool and Manufacturing Company in 1942. Following her husband’s death in 1995, Katheryn, with the encouragement of her daughter and son-in-law, established the Hommer Foundation. Katheryn died in 2001 at age 95 and the bulk of her estate went to the Foundation. The Allentown Symphony, Art Museum, Civic Theater, Community Music School, Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, and America on Wheels are among the grant recipients. Peter L. Kern, Hommer Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will accept the award.
Outstanding Achievement in Performing Arts:
Craig Thatcher
Craig Thatcher is a band leader of The Craig Thatcher Band, an International Clinician-Ambassador for C.F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, a guitar instructor and recording artist. In 2015, Thatcher was co-producer and guitarist for Chilean artist Manuel Garcia. Also in 2015, Thatcher and violinist Nyke Van Wyk wrote, performed and recorded the soundtrack for “The Dreadnought Story,” presented by Martin Guitar and released in January. Thatcher also leads the Eric Clapton music tribute Badge. His band presents other music tribute shows, including Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, the Allman Brothers Band and Cream. Thatcher is the originator and host of the PBS television series “Behind The Guitar” where he presents and interviews internationally-known guitarists in front of an audience in the WLVT Channel 39 PBS studios.
Outstanding Educator in the Arts:
Lawrence Flynn
Lawrence Flynn reaches elementary school students in Allentown School District. Flynn directs the Double String Quartet, City Orchestra School, O2, Summer Strings, and City Strings. Flynn is Music Director for the ASD Foundation “High Notes Gala” since its inception in 2012 and was conductor for for Dieruff High School’s production of “In the Heights.”
Outstanding Service Award:
The Office of Community Engagement at Muhlenberg College
The Office of Community Engagement at Muhlenberg College enrolls students, employees and local communities in partnerships intended to catalyze personal, institutional and community change. Through programs in literary, performing, and visual arts, Muhlenberg students engage regularly with local communities in creative activities on campus and in the community. Beth Halpern will accept the award.
Outstanding Achievement Visual Arts:
Femi Johnson
Femi J. Johnson works predominantly in the mediums of collage painting and drawing. Johnson has shown regionally and internationally, with work in corporate and private collections. Recent shows include Santa Bannon Fine Art at ArtsQuest Banana Factory, Lafayette College Experimental Printmaking Institute, Northampton Community College Communications Hall, Nurture Nature Center, Red Barn with Barnaby Ruhe, and the Pomfret Club in Easton. Femi relocated to the Lehigh Valley three years ago from Hudson Valley, N.Y., and works out of Expressions Studio, 542 Hamilton St., Allentown.
Outstanding Achievement in the Literary Arts:
Janice Altieri
Janice Altieri is a William Allen High School, Class of ‘82 graduate, and is an Allentown School District Librarian at Union Terrace and McKinley Elementary schools. She was named the 2012 Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies.
Emerging Artist Award:
Keith Garubba
Keith Garubba works in print media, multimedia installations and interactive artworks. Garubba is on the faculty of Baum School of Art, where he teaches children’s classes, comic art to high school students, and outreach programming in Allentown elementary schools, bridging science and art in 5th grade classrooms. Garubba exhibits his work regularly in the Lehigh Valley, both independently and as a member of the Printmakers Society of the Lehigh Valley.
The student scholarship awardees are: Dieruff High School: Malik Smith (Art), Prescious Correa (Theater), and Dedrik Ramos (Music); Allen High School: Belicia Kingsley (Art), Claire Patterson (Theater), Anthony Richards (Music). Central Catholic High School: Rachel Myers (Art), Abby Garza (Theater), and Johnny Tran (Music).
Tickets: CivicTheatre.com/ArtsOvation, 610-791-3497, by May 4.