by Greg Lincoln
Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA), Alaska Humanities Forum (AKHF), the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation, and the Office of the Governor are seeking nominations for the annual Governor’s Arts and Humanities Awards.
“These awards recognize and honor Alaskans whose noteworthy contributions to the arts and humanities have made a lasting impact on Alaska’s social, economic, and civic life,” says award organizers. “They highlight individuals and organizations that have helped strengthen communities by forging connections between people across race, class, and cultural divides; those that have furthered traditional Alaska Native language or culture; and those that have contributed to a better understanding of the world, one another, and the human experience.”
We have many incredible artists, educators, and musicians from here in our region that we know and love who have been recipients of past years’ awards. Here is the list:
1982 LKSD – Percent for Art Supporter
1987 Rita Pitka Blumenstein – Native Alaskan Artist
1989 Nick & Elena Charles – Native Alaskan Artists
1998 Paul John – Margaret Nick Cooke Award
2001 Ann Fienup-Riordan – Humanities Educator
2002 Marie Meade – Humanities Educator
2003 John Active – Margaret Nick Cooke Award
2004 Oscar Kawagley – Margaret Nick Cooke Award
2004 Rev. Michael Oleksa – Humanities Alaskan Muse
2005 Pamyua – Alaska Native Arts
2006 Brenda Campen (MEHS Teacher) – AK History Teacher of the Year
2011 Jim Rearden – Historian
2011 Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley (posthumously) – Cross Cultural Studies
2014 Martha Galila – Alaska Native Arts & Languages
2019 Nita Rearden – Arts Education
ASCA Chair Benjamin Brown notes, “…the Governor’s Awards can only shine a spotlight on those who deserve recognition when someone takes the time to nominate a worthy individual or organization. I strongly encourage Alaskans to think about whose time may be now to receive accolades for their work, and to make the appropriate nomination.”
Below are the award categories if you would like to make a nomination:
2021 Award Categories:
HUMANITIES AWARDS:
• Education: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities by contributing to a better understanding of the world, one another, and the human experience.
• Leadership: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities through their commitment to improve Alaska’s social, economic, and civic life.
• Community: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities by forging connections between people across, race, class, and cultural divides.
ARTS AWARDS:
• Alaska Native Arts: The Alaska Native Arts award recognizes those who have advanced traditional Alaska Native language or culture through their work, or significantly improved the preservation, perpetuation, and active practice of Alaska Native arts.
• Individual Artist: Awarded based on artistic leadership, distinction and merit; Recognition of artistic contribution to the state or community through previous honors and awards, reviews or articles; Longevity of impact to state or community.
• Arts Education: The arts education award recognizes an individual or organization for longstanding dedication to or significant and successful impact on arts education in Alaska.
• Arts Advocacy: Awarded to an individual or organization dedicated to promoting the arts through volunteer, administration, legislative or professional efforts.
• Outstanding Arts Organization: Recognizes established arts organizations whose contributions to the arts enhance the state. Please note that current ASCA or Forum Council / Board members, staff or prior Award recipients are not eligible.
For further details about each of the awards and to access the online nomination form, please visit akgovawards.org.
Nominations by the public are accepted through August 30, 2021 online at akgovawards.org. The event will take place in early January 2022 in Anchorage either in-person or virtually, depending on safety considerations.
Quyana to these organizations for hosting these awards.
