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Awards for Arts Achievement Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award Arts Education Award Emerging Leaders Award Michael Newton Award Public Art Network Award Selina Roberts Ottum Award National Arts Awards About the Awards Past Honorees Event Archive (2002-2012) Public Leadership in the Arts Awards

awards for arts achievement

Public Leadership in the Arts

The National Public Leadership in the Arts Awards are given in recognition of an elected official or artist who plays an important role in the advancement of the arts and arts education within his or her community and whose vision and leadership provide heightened visibility to the value of the arts.

We are now accepting nominations for lieutenant governors, state legislators, and county officials. Make a nomination.

Past Public Leadership in the Arts Honorees by Category:

Congressional Arts Leadership Honorees

2013 Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
2012 Representative Todd Platts (R-PA)
2011 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
2010 Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
2009 Representative John Lewis (D-GA)
2008 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
2007 Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN)
2006 Representative Jim Leach (R-IA)
2005 Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT)
2004 Representative David Obey (D-WI)
2003 Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
2002 Representative Steve Horn (R-CA)
2001 Representative Norm Dicks (D-WA)
2000 Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT)
2000 Representative Nancy Johnson (R-CT)
1999 Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
1999 Representative Michael Castle (D-DE)
1998 Representative Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY)
1998 Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA)
1997 Senator James M. Jeffords (R-VT)
1997 Representative Rick Lazio (R-NY)

Governor Arts Leadership Honorees

2013 Governor Martin O'Malley (D-MD)
2012 Governor Pat Quinn (D-IL)
2011 Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM)
2010 Governor Ted Kulongoski (D-OR)
2009 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA)
2008 Governor Matt Blunt (R-MO)
2007 Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ)
2006 Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA)
2005 Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR)
2004 Governor Edward G. Rendell (D-PA)
2003 Governor George Pataki (R-NY)
2002 Governor John Engler (R-MI)
2001 Governor John G. Rowland (R-CT)
2000 Governor Tom Ridge (R-PA)
1999 Governor Mel Carnahan (D-MO)
1998 Governor Arne H. Carlson (R-MN)
1997 Governor Robert Miller (D-NV)

Lieutenant Governor Arts Leadership Honorees

State Legislator Arts Leadership Honorees

2012 Senator Gwen Margolis (D-FL)
2011 Senator Roger Reitz (R-KS)
2010 Senator Stan Rosenberg (D-MA)
2009 Senator Richard Cohen (DFL-MN)
2008 Representative Peter L. Lewiss (D-RI)
2007 Senator Carolyn Allen (R-AZ)
2006 Representative Sheryl Allen (R-UT)

Local Arts Leadership Honorees

2013 Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D- New Orleans, LA)
2013 Mayor David Coss (D- Santa Fe, NM)
2012 Mayor Frank Ortis (D-Pembroke Pines, FL)
2012 Mayor Elizabeth Kautz (R-Burnsville, MN)
2011 Mayor Michael Nutter (D-Philadelphia, PA)
2011 Mayor James Brainard (R-Carmel, IN)
2010 Mayor Mufi Hannemann (D-Honolulu, HI)
2009 Mayor Greg Nickels (D-Seattle, WA)
2008 Mayor Oscar Goodman (D-Las Vegas, NV)
2007 Mayor Manuel A. Diaz (I-Miami, FL)
2006 Mayor Bill Purcell (D-Nashville, TN)
2005 Mayor John Robert Smith (R-Meridian, MS)
2004 Mayor Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore, MD)
2003 Mayor Bart Peterson (D-Indianapolis, IN)
2002 Mayor Sharpe James (D-Newark, NJ)
2001 Mayor Wellington E. Webb (D-Denver, CO)
2000 Mayor Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. (D-Providence, RI)
1999 Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. (D-Charleston, SC)
1998 Mayor Marc H. Morial (D-New Orleans, LA)
1997 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D-Chicago, IL)

County Arts Leadership Honorees

2012 Montgomery County (OH)
2011 Joe Giles, County Councilman, Erie County (PA)
2010 Jim Bradley, County Councilman, Salt Lake County (UT)
2009 Linda Langston, County Supervisor, Linn County (IA)
2008 Franklin County, (OH)
2007 Howard County (MD)
2006 Lackawanna County Commission (PA)
2005 Jefferson County Commission (AL)
2004 Broward County Board of County Commissioners
2003 Douglas M. Duncan, Montgomery County Executive (MD)
2002 Prince George�s County Council (MD)
2001 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (LA)
2000 County Board Chair Parks Helms (NC)
1999 Betty Lou Ward, Wake County Commission (NC)

Legendary Artist, Arts Legacy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Excellence in Arts Programs for Youth Honorees

2011 Herbie Hancock
2010 Michael Feinstein
2008 Emilio Estefan Jr.
2008 Gloria Estefan
2006 New Orleans Center for Creative Arts | Riverfront (NOCCA)
2005 Peter Yarrow
2005 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D-Chicago, IL)
2004 Tony Bennett
2004 Henry Winkler
2001 William Jefferson Clinton
2000 Dr. John Brademas
2000 Harry Belafonte
1999 Rita Moreno
1999 Jane Alexander
1998 Stevie Wonder
1998 Roger L. Stevens
1997 Representative Sidney R. Yates (D-IL)

Citizen-Artist, Artist Advocacy, Leadership and Outstanding Achievement Awards

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