2009 City of Spokane Arts Awards
2009 City of Spokane Arts Awards will be presented on Monday, October 5 at 6 p.m.at the Spokane City Council Chambers, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA (enter through the sliding glass doors on Post Street). This year's recipients include:
Individual Artist – Sister Paula Turnbull
No matter where you go throughout Spokane, you're likely to come across a sculpture by Sister Paula Mary Turnbull. For nearly half a century, Sister Paula Turnbull's art has graced public and private settings in Spokane and beyond – and her generous, nurturing spirit continues to enrich all who know her. Sister Paula, of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, uses her studio at the Holy Names Convent to produce art work that ranges from religious to whimsical. Her body of work is prolific and diverse, including the much beloved Garbage Eating Goat in Riverfront Park, a Sasquatch at Spokane Community College, the lovely "Anna and Alta" mother-daughter sculpture in Browne's Addition, the 10-foot carved story pillar at Indian Trail Park, and the beautiful memorial to Mike Cmos at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. And the work keeps coming… including an installation at the new Hillyard swimming pool and a statue of Father Cataldo for the Nez Perce Tribe.
A retired elementary school teacher, Sister Paula continues to merge her love of art and teaching. Although she continues to work on public and private commissions most days, she frequently opens up her studio to children and young artists, serving as mentor, role model and inspiration. She is a generous donor to many causes such as "Wishing Star," "War on Want" and "Art from the Heart" and gives back much of the profit from her art to her order.
Arguably the "Matriarch" of the Spokane sculpture world, Sister Paula’s contributions continue to enrich our community and our lives. Please join me in welcoming 2009's Individual Artist Award recipient, Sister Paula Turnbull.
Arts Organization – SPIFF
For twelve years, the Spokane International Film Festival, or SPIFF, has been bringing world class, award-winning independent and foreign films to the Spokane region. Thanks to The Contemporary Arts Alliance, the 501c3 parent organization that oversees the festival, SPIFF offers the depth and sophistication of much larger film festivals on a relatively modest budget.
By attracting participants from as far as Montana, Seattle, and Canada, SPIFF serves as a kind of grand public relations mechanism for Spokane. Visiting filmmakers, artists and movie enthusiasts have routinely commented on the overall quality of the Festival, citing professional execution, variety of films and the sheer beauty of our city.
SPIFF strives to entertain, educate and challenge audiences, often including a Q and A Session with filmmakers and cast members after each film. These discussions offer a unique opportunity for education and cultural sharing. SPIFF collaborates with The Bing, AMC Theatres, River Park Square, the Magic Lantern and the MAC. Involvement of area colleges including EWU, Whitworth, Gonzaga and Spokane Community Colleges attests to the quality and breadth of the Festival. In fact, overall partnering with the community wherever possible has led to many innovative collaborations.
With broader audiences, more venues and more films each year, SPIFF is thriving and here to stay. For their efforts in enabling Spokane to experience the extraordinary world of independent film, we honor SPIFF as the 2009 Arts Organization Award recipient.
Arts in Education – District 81 Elementary Art Teachers
The nine elementary art teachers in the Spokane Public Schools travel to all 35 elementary schools in the district providing visual art classes to students in 4th through 6th grade. The arts are essential to every child's education, and over the last few years, these teachers have worked together to produce an extraordinary curriculum and program guide, which includes sample lessons. These lessons are all based on the O.S.P.I. grade level expectations and provide teachers with the tools they will need to present a "standards based" visual art program to all students. The art teachers have embraced this job and because of their hard work have produced an extremely thoughtful, useful resource that will assure quality art instruction for years to come.
These teachers have also taken the lead in organizing and providing artwork for displays at the district administration building, the Spokane Airport, and Spokane libraries and once a year at our Sister City in Japan.
The Spokane elementary art teachers we honor tonight work tirelessly to improve their teaching as well as their own personal artistic skills. They include: Molly Adolfae, Angela Florence, Ruth Gfeller, Carolyn Schmitz, Kit Jagoda, Cynthia Moore, Ann Handler, Jacob Wendel and Patricia Ratcliffe-Phillips. Please join me in congratulating these fine educators and artists on their important and excellent work.
Individual Benefactor – Robert Farley
Tonight we honor the "Renaissance Man" of Spokane Children's Theatre, Robert E. Farley. Bob Farley has served as the backbone of Spokane's oldest existing theatre since the 1970's, all the while encouraging kids to realize their potential and their dreams. Bob has appeared back stage, on stage and front of house. He has acted in, directed, and written plays. He served on the Children's Theatre Board of Directors for most of the last forty years. And, as the beloved Tickles the Clown, Bob introduced every single Spokane Children's Theatre performance for ten seasons from 1973 to 1983! Now that's dedication!
Bob was instrumental in organizing the "Northwest Children's Theatre Festival" to commemorate the organization's 50th year. For years thereafter, theatres from Oregon, Washington, Montana and British Columbia participated in this terrific event, enjoying performances, workshops and priceless memories. When Spokane Children's Theatre suffered a severe financial crisis in 2001, it was Bob who united the board and rallied the troops to achieve complete recovery through volunteer efforts, aggressive fund-raising and sheer determination.
Along with his beloved wife Carmen, Bob has dedicated a veritable lifetime of time and energy enriching our community through his work with theatre in general and Spokane Children's Theatre in particular. A tireless volunteer, a generous donor, and a caring mentor, we salute Bob Farley as our 2009 Individual Benefactor.
Business Benefactor – Auntie's Bookstore
For over 30 years, Auntie's Bookstore has established itself as Spokane's favorite independent bookstore, and THE place to go for the latest literary fare and special events. Auntie's opened at the Flour Mill in 1978 – and has been selling books ever since under the steady guidance and ownership of Chris O'Hara. Now located in downtown Spokane's historic Liberty Building, Auntie's strives not only to be Spokane's leading independent bookseller, but also to promote other independent businesses in the area.
Auntie's has hosted hundreds of literary and performing arts events over the years. Local, regional and nationally acclaimed writers from all genres have read and lectured at Auntie's... playwrights have presented new works... musicians have played... and groups like the Inland Northwest Bluegrass Association have found a welcoming home to convene and perform... all at no charge to the artists.
Auntie's supports writers-in-the-making. Sometimes, it's a one-time workshop aimed at helping, say, new children's authors. Or maybe it's an event focused on the therapeutic value of poetry. When Spokane Community College sought a downtown site for its Senior Writers' program, Aunties was more than happy to oblige. The Inland Northwest Writer's Guild, which meets at Auntie's monthly, is now entering its third year as a resource for writing hopefuls.
For its contribution to the literary culture of Spokane and its consistently broad based support for the arts, we honor this year’s Business Benefactor, Auntie's Bookstore.
Arts Community Leadership – Bill Burke
Bill Burke has organized more free Spokane community events than any other person in recent history. For over 30 years, Bill Burke has raised millions of dollars and personally organized and produced over one thousand FREE family concerts, street fairs, youth events, holiday celebrations and family activities in our region. This year marked the 30th annual Pig Out in the Park, a Spokane tradition that many folks consider one of Spokane's most popular and culturally diverse community events. The event grows every year, attracting attendees from coast to coast and has been chosen repeatedly as the Inlander's "People's Choice" for Best Community Event.
Bill is the co-founder of the 6 Bridges Art Association, a 501c3 non-profit organization which has raised and returned to the community over 2.5 million dollars in various underwriting and production assistance for countless community events. Bill appreciates the art of live music and is also a renowned collector of vintage guitars and musical equipment. An ardent supporter of Spokane's performing artists, dancers and musicians, Bill ensures that local and regional artists of all disciplines are paid for their work. Pig Out alone offered 55 free concerts in six days.
Bill's affiliations are many and varied including his work with the Spokane Scholar's Foundation, and the Chase Youth Foundation. He was selected Spokane's Advertising and Public Relations Professional of the Year in 1989, and, in recognition of his community service, was once honored with his own citywide day of appreciation as proclaimed by the Honorable Mayor Jim Chase. For his community vision and consistently bringing performing art right to the heart of the community, we are pleased to honor Bill Burke with this year's Arts Community Leadership award.
Bold Strokes Special Achievement Award – KYRS Thin Air Community Radio
From completely grassroots beginnings in 1999, a new radio station was conceived by a group of passionate, dedicated volunteers. KYRS-Thin Air Community Radio is a volunteer powered, non-commercial, listener supported, Low Power FM community radio station that has certainly come into its own over the past ten years. Heard on 92.3 and 89.9 FM and streaming 24/7 at www.kyrs.org, Thin Air serves the area with unique programming for underserved populations, providing an eclectic mix of news, views, culture and music often overlooked by other media.
Thin Air Community Radio's arts, cultural and music programming covers a wide spectrum of expression from traditional to experimental and reflects the diverse cultures Thin Air serves. They strive for and deliver spontaneity and program excellence. From Reggae, Blues and Hip Hop, to Indie Rock, Bluegrass, Funk and World, KYRS has something for everyone! Indeed, KYRS provides news, views, music and culture heard nowhere else on the radio dial.
Thin Air's inclusive policy is part of the fabric of the station. Built almost entirely by hundreds of volunteers donating thousands of hours and many thousands of dollars, Thin Air began broadcasting almost exactly six years ago, in October of 2003. They solicit program proposals from the Spokane community and through almost entirely volunteer energy, have more than 60 live, locally produced shows on the air including Spanish-language, African-American, Native American, environmental, GLBTQA and youth programs to name a few. Under the guidance of Station Manager Lupito Flores, Thin Air Community Radio continues to strengthen, transform and grow the arts in Spokane. For this, we are pleased to honor Thin Air with the 2009 Bold Strokes Award.