Seattle Opera's General Director Speight Jenkins will be one of five recipients of a 2009 Mayor's Arts Award, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced.The awards recognize the contributions made by artists, arts and cultural organizations, and community members who make a difference through arts and cultural activities. The public nominates candidates for these awards, and the Seattle Arts Commission reviews the nominations and makes recommendations for the mayor's final selection. For 2009, the Seattle Arts Commission reviewed a record 360 public nominations.
"Speight has enriched the cultural, artistic and civic life of our city and helped position Seattle as an international arts destination," said Nickels. "I am honored to be mayor of Seattle, where citizens such as Speight share their passion, talent, and innovation to make Seattle not only a wonderful place to live and visit, but a spectacular place to grow, learn, and create."
The recipients will be honored at the Mayor's Arts Awards ceremony at noon on Friday, Sept. 4 during Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival at Seattle Center's Northwest Court. The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will feature the award presentations and the official opening of Bumbershoot's visual arts exhibits. In celebration of the Mayor's Arts Awards, the festival's visual arts exhibits will be open to the public free of charge, from 12-7 p.m.
The five recipients of the 2009 Mayor's Arts Award are:
· Speight Jenkins, Seattle Opera general director
· Artist Trust
· Jesse Higman, visual artist
· Northwest Tap Connection
· Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra
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