Artists from all over Conway have a chance to be recognized for their artistry and key role as artists in the community in the Conway Alliance for the Arts (CAFTA) awards that are currently taking nominations at the award ceremony at 7 p.m. April 5 in the Trieschmann Fine Arts building at Hendrix College.
According to Faulkner County librarian, Nancy Allen, the CAFTA awards are an extension of the Faulkner County Library Achievement in the Arts awards started by former head librarian Ruth Voss.
The Faulkner County Library Achievement in the Arts awards merged with the CAFTA awards.
“When CAFTA emerged as a community leader in the arts, the Faulkner County Library joined with them in creating an awards program that honored several levels of artistic endeavor and support.” Allen said.
Some of the awards given include Outstanding Student Achievement, Mayor’s Award for Community Advocate in the Arts, Rollin R. Potter Patron of the Arts, Outstanding Individual Artist, the previously mentioned Faulkner County Library Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award and the Outstanding Arts Educator Award.
One past winner of the Outstanding Arts Educator Award was Deborah Kuster. “My teaching, scholarship, and service are centered on influencing the practice of art education including a focus on curriculum development and community collaborations,” she said. “After 11 years, I have quite a network of former students, art teachers, and arts organizations that I have the privilege to work with to promote the arts and arts education in our community.”
These awards are open to any artist in Conway or any artist who has made an impact on the Conway art scene according Gayle Seymour the CAFTA board chair and the Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication quoted in the press release for this event.
After the deadline of Feb. 29 the CAFTA board members will then review the nominees to these awards and select the winners from the pool of nominees. Some of the past winners of these awards include: Sheila Parsons, Gene Hatfield and Finton Shaw.
The CAFTA awards seem to emphasize the need for art in the community of Conway and involving the community in the arts in order to promote cultural awareness in the community of Conway.
“The Conway Alliance for the Arts is very pleased to take the lead in recognizing some very talented individuals who have helped enrich all of our lives,” Seymour said.
This ceremony and reception will include musical, literary and dance performances as well as hors d’oeuvres prepared and served by the Culinary Club of Hendrix College. According to the CAFTA website, nominees do not have to live in Conway but must have an impact in the Conway art community.
Forms to submit a nominee for the CAFTA awards can be found online at www.artsinconway.org/awards or picked up at the Conway Chamber of Commerce, the Conway Public Library or the Reynolds Performance Hall Box Office and must be submitted by Feb. 29. Students and the public are welcome.
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