Online Nominations Open: 2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio
by Amy McKay

Ohio boasts a wealth of talented artists, arts institutions and people who support them. What better way to show your appreciation for those who support and work on behalf of the arts in Ohio than to nominate them for an award?

The Ohio Arts Council is now accepting online nominations for the 2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio. The annual awards are given to Ohio individuals and organizations in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the arts statewide, regionally and nationally. Awards are given for Arts Administration, Arts Education, Arts Patron, Business Support of the Arts, Community Development & Participation and Individual Artist.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 14, 2011 at 5 p.m. and the deadline for support letters is Friday, October 21, 2011 at 5 p.m.

Nominations will be accepted online only. A complete explanation of the nomination process is available on the 2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon website at www.oac.ohio.gov/events/GovAwards/. For more information about the Governor's Awards nomination process, please contact Amy McKay at the Ohio Arts Council at 614/728-4463 or amy.mckay@oac.state.oh.us.

The 2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon, presented by the Ohio Arts Council and the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation, will be held Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at noon at the Columbus Athenaeum in downtown Columbus. Tickets are $50 and include lunch and a dessert reception. All proceeds go to the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation. Winners will receive an original work of art by Ohio painter Debra Joyce Dawson at a public ceremony during the luncheon.

The Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon will be held in conjunction with Arts Day 2012. This daylong event demonstrating public value and support for the arts is sponsored by the Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation. Arts Day will include an arts advocacy briefing, legislative visits, arts showcase, Statehouse tours and student exhibitions. For more information on Arts Day 2012, visit www.ohiocitizensforthearts.org or call 614/221-4064.

Arts Day was created to foster a greater awareness of the value of the arts in Ohio. Citizens are encouraged to participate in Arts Day by visiting with their state legislators and communicating the need for public support of the arts and arts education. Each year on Arts Day, the Capitol is filled with arts supporters sharing the importance of the arts in their communities.

The 2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon are presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Government Telecommunications.

About Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation:
Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation provides information to all Ohioans about the arts and promotes their value to a high quality of life, a strong economy and the achievement of educational excellence. The foundation was formed in 1990 as a companion organization to Ohio Citizens for the Arts, which was established in 1976. Ohio Citizens for the Arts is a statewide, nonprofit grassroots membership organization focused on increasing public support for the arts in Ohio. Through the efforts of thousands of individuals and arts and education organizations, Ohio Citizens for the Arts advocates on behalf of the Ohio Arts Council and the arts throughout the state.

About the Ohio Arts Council:
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

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