BLOOMINGTON – Ivy Tech Community College in partnership with the City of Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) will host the 2018 Community Arts Awards on Saturday, Nov. 17 to honor local arts advocates, educators, and businesses. The event will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center, located at 122 S. Walnut St. This year’s event is free and open to the public through generous support from the BAC and Ted Jones. Sally Gaskill will emcee the event.
Recipients and award categories are: Danielle McClelland, Patricia Murphy Pizzo Arts Advocacy; Monster House Press, Arts in Business; Cardinal Stage – Cardinal for Kids Education, Arts in Education; Gerry Masse, Regional Arts Service; and Sandi Clark, Lifetime Achievement.
During the event, also enjoy arts workshops including clowning with Rosie the Clown, DJ’ing with WFHB DJs, and more. Also learn the new Bloomington Community Song, “Ride” by Jeff Cannon.
Winners were juried by an independent community group, including artists, administrators, and long-time residents and supporters of the arts.
Danielle McClelland, Patricia Murphy Pizzo Arts Advocacy Award
McClelland has served as the executive director of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (BCT) since 2001. She has spearheaded numerous initiatives to ensure diverse programming, support and education for performing arts groups, and equal access to the theater, including establishing Bloomington’s annual PRIDE Film Festival.
Monster House Press, Arts in Business Award
Monster House Press is a non-profit publisher and circuit of literature, art, and thought in the Midwest and is based in Bloomington, Ind. Through publications and author reading events, Monster House Press has donated funds to various organizations, including Appalachia Resist, Black Lives Matter, Charlottesville, Courage to Change Sober Living House, Hope Academy, Middle Way House, New Leaf New Life, and Rural Action.
Cardinal Stage – Cardinal for Kids Education, Arts in Education Award
Established in 2006, Cardinal Stage aims to advance professional theatre in Bloomington and cultivate youth theatre appreciation by offering outreach and educational initiatives that benefit South Central Indiana youth. Each season, Cardinal Stage offers private matinees and educational materials to approximately 5,000 local students, at a significantly reduced cost, through the Cardinal for Schools program.
Gerry Masse, Regional Arts Service Award
Masse is artist, educator, and founder of the Sculpture Trails Outdoor Museum located in Solsberry, Ind., which is open year-round to the public. Masse has established ongoing educational opportunities for artists and students of all experience levels, including the Cast Iron Sculpture Workshop, the Traveling Foundry, and internship and volunteer opportunities.
Sandi Clark, Lifetime Achievement Award
Clark has served as an advocate for the arts in Bloomington, Ind. and the Midwest for decades. She is a founding member of Buskirk-Chumley Theater Management and the Cardinal Stage Company board and recently ended her second term as Cardinal’s board president. She has served on a number of local and regional boards and commissions, and was appointed to two terms on the Indiana Arts Commission, serving until 2010.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
