Gov. Timothy M. Kaine recently announced the recipients of the Governor's Awards for the Arts 2008. The 10 winners, who were selected from 345 nominations, include artists, arts organizations and supporters of the arts. Award winners will be honored by Governor Kaine at a ceremony at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond on Sept. 17.
"These awards recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in the arts," Kaine said. "They call attention to the creative spirit that contributes to the quality of life throughout the Commonwealth."
The 2008 Governor's Awards for the Arts winners are:
Ralph Stanley of Clintwood. Stanley is recognized worldwide for his unique style of banjo playing. He formed the Clinch Mountain Boys which became one of the most celebrated bluegrass groups in the world.
Bruce Miller and Phil Whiteway share an award with Richmond's Theatre IV, which they founded in 1975. The first professional children's theatre in Virginia, Theatre IV has performed live for audiences totaling 28 million.
The Richmond Ballet and its Artistic Director Stoner Winslett share an award. Under her leadership, the Ballet became a professional company in 1984 and tours the state with performances of both classical and contemporary works.
Bob Brown Puppets of Arlington. The group has toured all of Virginia and has performed with major symphony orchestras across the country.
The William King Regional Arts Center in Abingdon. It is the only accredited art museum in far southwest Virginia and has arts education programs that travel to schools in 14 counties.
The Richmond Jazz Society. The foremost resource center for jazz in Virginia has worked since 1979 to educate the public on the historical development and significance of jazz as an art form.
The Hampton University Museum is the oldest African-American art museum in the country and one of the oldest museums in Virginia with a collection of over 9000 objects, including outstanding collections of paintings by African-American artists and an American Indian collection representing more than 93 tribes.
Ralph Cohen and Jim Warren of Staunton. They will receive an award for their work with the American Shakespeare Center which they founded in 1988. They are also the founders of the only graduate program in the country centered on Shakespeare and Renaissance literature in performance, at Mary Baldwin College.
SHENANDOAH: The Washington and Lee University Review. One of the country's premier literary quarterlies since its founding in 1950, Shenandoah has featured Pulitzer winners as well as voices new to the literary scene.
David and Susan Goode of Norfolk. They are recognized for their work on behalf of the arts in Norfolk and Roanoke, as well as across the Commonwealth. Each has served leadership roles in numerous organizations, including the Virginia Commission for the Arts and Americans for the Arts.
The recipients of the Governor's Awards for 2008 were selected by a panel of distinguished judges chaired by John J. Davies III, an attorney from Culpeper and former member of the General Assembly. "The diversity of talent in Virginia is amazing, and it was a daunting task to select just 10 award winners from so many qualified nominees," Davies said. "The panel gave careful review to each before finally selecting this outstanding group of individuals and organizations who have done so much for the arts in Virginia."
Also serving on the panel were Nancy Bagley Adams, former chair of the Virginia Commission for the Arts; J. Plunky Branch, noted musician, songwriter, music and film producer; L. Preston Bryant Jr., Secretary of Natural Resources and former chair of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities; Amy Bridge, Director of the Governor's Mansion; Mary Jones of Abingdon, former board member of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; and Charlene (Suny) Monk, Executive Director of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Chairwoman of the Governor's Arts Awards 2008 is Jeannie P. Baliles, former First Lady of Virginia and board member of Virginians for the Arts, which is sponsoring the awards along with the Virginia Commission for the Arts. The awards program is underwritten with private contributions from these corporate sponsors: ExxonMobil Corporation, the Dominion Foundation, the Norfolk Southern Foundation, Philip Morris USA and Virginia Natural Gas.