ArtsWeek kicks off with Arts Leadership award ceremony

A collection of seven individuals, a local business and a historic park will be collecting awards at this year’s Arts Leadership Awards Luncheon presented by the Bloomington Area Arts Council. The luncheon, which kicks off IU’s annual ArtsWeek, is today from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Monroe County Convention Center.\nEvery year the arts council selects individuals, businesses and organizations that contribute to the improvement and enhancement of visual, literary and performing arts in Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Monroe and Owen counties, according to the BAAC Web site.\nA board of 30 arts supporters appointed by the BAAC from the five counties chooses the recipients of the yearly award, said Ed Vande Sande, the arts council’s development and marketing director. The recipients were previously nominated by citizens from the five counties, Vande Sande said.\nEach recipient will receive an original piece of artwork commissioned by the BAAC and donated by local artists. Entertainment for the event will include a local all-women a cappella vocal ensemble called Kaia.\nSome of the nine awards to be given out today include the Living Treasure Award, which will be given to Charles H. Webb Jr. Webb is a retired IU faculty member who served as dean of the Jacobs School of Music for more than 20 years before retiring in 1997.\nThe Arts and Cultural Organization Award will be given to the T.C. Steele State Historic Site, which was recognized for its commitment to artistic and managerial excellence.\nThe Arts Advocate Award will be presented to Ted Jones for leading and supporting the visual and performing arts.\nThis year’s ArtsWeek theme features the integration of arts and technology, Vande Sande said. The John Waldron Arts Center will also host a presentation tomorrow discussing online methods and tools for audience development, according to the Web site.\n“We’re trying to convey the growing impact that the Internet and its various resources have on arts and the arts community;” Vande Sande said. \nSuzanne Connor will be the guest speaker at the awards ceremony and will also partake in the “Engaging Audiences Online” presentation Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Waldron Auditorium, said BAAC Executive Director Miah Michaelsen. \nConnor is the director of programs and grants for the Arts and Business Council of Chicago and is responsible for implementing new tools for arts organizations to aid audience engagement in the Chicago area.\nAlthough Connor has never been to Bloomington or had any past experience with the BAAC, she has worked directly to develop Internet-based solutions to common challenges, Vande Sande said.\n“I believe the (arts council) chose me to host the award ceremony because they recognize our interest in technology and modern advancements in different art forms here in Chicago,” Connor said.\nThursday’s discussion, featuring other Chicago-area panelists along with Connor, is free and open to the public.\nFor more information, visit the BAAC Web site at www.artlives.org.