Nominations Sought for Doña Ana Arts Council’s Annual Arts Awards

Each year the Doña Ana Arts Council (DAAC) honors special individuals who are actively involved in promoting and enhancing the visual and performing arts in our community through leadership, support and advocacy.  See nomination form for information and deadlines.

Awards include The Papen Family Award, Newcomers Award, Arts In Education Award, Community Arts Award, and the newest award, the Art in Public Places Award.  Each award is described below with the names of past recipients.  The awards will be presented at DAAC’s Annual Arts Awards Gala May 7, 2009 at the Rio Grande Theatre. Prior awardees are ineligible to receive the same award.

The Papen Family Award honors an individual who has demonstrated his or her commitment to the arts through leadership, service and/or financial support.  The award, originally called the Mesilla Valley Treasure Award and later The Julie Papen Arts Patron Award, was renamed in 1997 to honor the late Senator Frank Papen and the Papen family, whose dedicated leadership, involvement and support of the arts has so richly served and benefited our community.

Past recipients of The Papen Family Award include Dr. John Glowacki (1986), Opal Lee Priestly (1987), State Representative J. Paul Taylor (1988), Mayor Ruben Smith (1988), Dr. Joseph Denk (1989), J. Henry Gustafson (1990), Mary Hardman Gale (1991), Kenneth G. Melgaard (1992), Carolyn Bunch (1993), Emily Cohen (1994), Dr. J. Bruce Streett (1995), Dr. William Clark (1996), Glenn & Sally Cutter (1996), Heather Pollard (1997), Denise Chavez (1998), Dr. Thomas Gale (1999), Mark Medoff (2000), Irene Oliver Lewis (2001), Judith Finch (2002), Ruth Cantrell (2003), Jack Ward (2004), Keith Wilson (2005), Bishop Ricardo Ramirez (2006), Rosemary McLoughlin (2007) and Jo-an Smith (2008).

The Newcomers Award recognizes leadership and support of the arts by an individual who has lived in Doña Ana County for less than five years. Past recipients include Les Roberts & Fred Rockey (1992), Rita Hartley (1993), Sherry White (1994), Cheryl Thornburg (1995), Susan Tweit (1996), John Hasko (1997), S. Derrickson Moore (1998), Barbara & Steve Eckels (1999), Kathe Stark (2000), Lonnie Klein (2001), Alice Peden (2002), Sylvia Gibson Bowers (2003), Tom Smith (2004), Laurel Weathersbee (2005), Lucilene de Gues & Paco Antonio (2006), Ouida Touchón (2007) and Cheryl & Brian Fallstead (2008).

The Arts In Education Award, created in 1997, serves to recognize individuals, whose leadership and pioneering spirit promotes and shapes visual and performing arts education initiatives, which benefit youth. Arts in Education recipients include Bonnie Hosie (1997), Karin Matray (1998), Karuna Warren (1999), John Schutz (2000), Terry Alvarez (2001), Leslie Kowalski (2002), Constance Hasapopoulos Suter (2003), Raul Dorn (2004), Debra Knapp (2005), Diane Schutz (2006), Laurie Norman (2007) and Lesli Zerr (2008).

The Community Arts Award distinguishes an individual, possessing the highest standards of motivation, service and by example has made a marked impact on the cultural fabric of our community.  Recipients of this award are Bob Burns (1999), Bob & Yvette Peticolas (2000), Kevin & Michelle Self (2001), Jose Tena (2002), Bob Diven (2003), Dr. Jerry Ann Alt (2004), Ceil & Peter Herman (2005), Jim Billings (2006), John Pleasant, Joseph Sylvan & Barbara Toth (2007) and The Border Book Festival/The Cultural Center of Mesilla (2008).

The Art in Public Places Award created in 2003, recognizes an individual who has created or placed art on permanent public view within Dona Ana County that exemplifies the highest standards and commitment to art in public places.  Recipients of this award include the City of Las Cruces & the NM Department of Transportation & Highways (2003), Tracy Jamison (2004), Zandra Santanova (2005), Ken Barrick (2006), Jackie Clark (2007) and Anthony Pennock (2008).