Business Support of the Arts
Awards Announced for 2008
Awards Announced for 2008
United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, Inc. and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce have named recipients of the annual Business Support of the Arts Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts in our area by businesses, organizations, and individuals. Awards are given in four categories: large business, small business, individual and arts education.
The Business Support of the Arts Awards will be presented on Wednesday, March 12, at 6:00 p.m. at a reception and open house at United Arts’ new office space at 110 S. Blount Street in Raleigh. The celebration includes United Arts’ large donors, board of directors and friends.
The United Arts Council’s mission is to build better communities through support and advocacy of the arts. The mission of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is to sustain and further develop a thriving economy and to enhance our community’s quality of life.
For more information about the awards ceremony, call 839-1498, ext. 226.
BSAA Award Recipients by Category
Recipient of the award in the Small Business category, The Glenwood Agency is cited for its support of Artsplosure, which produces First Night Raleigh, the Artsplosure spring festival and the new Arts Alive series of festivals. Financial support from the company puts it in the top tier of Artsplosure’s supporters; the firm’s well-known commitment to a thriving downtown Raleigh was also cited. The personal financial support and volunteer time of The Glenwood Agency’s listing broker and owner, Ann-Cabell Baum Andersen, is cited as exemplary. Ann-Cabell Baum Andersen’s 12 years of board service at Artsplosure were characterized by leadership of major fundraising events in which the staff of The Glenwood Agency took significant roles.
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of North Carolina (also known as NC Electric Membership Corporation) is the recipient of the Large Business award for demonstrated extraordinary support of the arts. The firm has served as a partner of the Visual Art Exchange (VAE) for the past ten years, sponsoring their largest program, The Raleigh Street Painting Festival, as well as VAE’s annual art auction and gala. Their support has allowed the Festival to grow into a three-day arts extravaganza of more than 200 artists. The firm’s support of the VAE’s annual fundraising gala has helped it grow significantly, and the firm’s contribution of loaned consultants in a critical period for VAE was cited as a strong influence in VAE’s growth into a thriving organization.
The honoree in the Individual Category is Bobby Kadis, nominated by Arts North Carolina, who described him as one who’s life "seamlessly connects artists and arts organizations with economic development and because he has used his considerable influence and resources to advance public support and value for the arts." A successful businessman and also a potter who served as trustee and past chair of the Penland School of Crafts and currently serves as Chair of the North Carolina Arts Council, Kadis is "respected and revered by artists and businessmenÉa living example of civic engagement and personal support."
The Arts Education awardee is Kathy Hopkins, the music teacher at Aversboro Elementary School. In a school with a high percentage of students receiving the free/reduced lunch program, her programs are cited for major impact. She teaches an appreciation of the arts, including instructions on how to be good audience members, aiming for well-rounded students. She found a way to fund the transportation for field trips for her students to the NC Art Museum and NC Symphony when these were cut from the school system budget. She also designed an "Arts at Aversboro" website that provides resources for students and parents and promotes Aversboro’s arts program to the community. Her nomination noted that the community needs "more teachers like Kathy Hopkins to be an inspiration and bring the arts to life for all children."
The Paladin Achievement Award goes to Charlotte Smith Purrington and Ward Purrington for being "energetic participants and influential leaders in Wake County’s Cultural evolution for more than a decade." Nominated by the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, Charlotte and Wake Purrington were cited for the dedication to the NC Museum of Arts and Carolina Ballet. Charlotte’s many years as a NC Museum of Art docent, their years of involvement with the Raleigh Dance Theatre, and Ward’s actions as the driving force behind the development of Carolina Ballet create highly noteworthy contributions to the artistic life of Wake County.
Ann Goodnight and The Goodnight Educational Foundation have been named Special Friends of the Council, an award given in honor of singular contributions to the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County. The Goodnight Educational Foundation became the presenting sponsor in 2007 for United Arts’ "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?" fund raiser event, fulfilling Mrs. Goodnight’s aim of supporting the Council’s Artists in the Schools Program. This program currently is making grants for professional artist events in 131 Wake County Schools. Ann Goodnight and The Goodnight Educational Foundation were instrumental in helping United Arts and this program achieve a higher level of success than ever before.