The National Arts Awards Chair
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1 Edye and Eli Broad salute Americans for the Arts and 2 tonight’s honorees for their commitment ensuring broad access to the arts 2014 Americans for the Arts National Arts Awards Monday, October 20, 2014 Welcome from Robert L. Lynch Performance by YoungArts Alumni President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Outstanding Contributions to the Arts Award Legacy Award American Legion Auxiliary Madeleine H. Berman Presented by Nolen V. Bivens, Presented by Anne Parsons Brigadier General, U.S. Army, (Ret) Accepted by Janet Jefford Lifetime Achievement Award Richard Serra Eli and Edythe Broad Award for 3 Presented by Jennifer Russell Philanthropy in the Arts Vicki and Roger Sant Arts Education Award Presented by The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd P.S. ARTS Presented by Ben Stiller Bell Family Foundation Young Artist Award Accepted by Joshua B. Tanzer David Hallberg Presented by RoseLee Goldberg Dinner Closing Remarks Robert L. Lynch introduction of Maria Bell Abel Lopez, Chair, Americans for the Arts Vice Chairman, Americans for the Arts Board of Board of Directors Directors and Chair, National Arts Awards and Robert L. Lynch Greetings from the Board Chair and President It is our pleasure to welcome you to our annual Americans for the Arts National Arts Awards. Tonight we again celebrate a select group of cultural leaders— groundbreaking artists, visionary philanthropists, and two outstanding nonprofit organizations—who help ensure that every American has access to the transformative power of the arts. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of all of our honorees. In this time of increasing challenges to our nation’s security and the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women and their families, we are especially pleased to recognize the American Legion Auxiliary, one of our many partners in the work we do with the military and veterans on the role of the arts & healing. We also take this opportunity to recognize Maria Bell’s 10 years of tremendous service to this National Arts Awards event. Her leadership has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are very glad that you are here with us tonight and we thank you for all that you continue to do to keep the arts alive across our nation. 4 Abel Lopez Robert L. Lynch Chair, Board of Directors President and CEO 5 The National Arts Awards Chair Dear Friends of Americans for the Arts, I’m once again delighted to add my personal message of welcome to all of you joining us tonight for the National Arts Awards. Our surroundings are graced tonight by our featured artist, Shepard Fairey, whose work inspires me every day, literally, because I’m fortunate enough to have his images hanging in my office. His iconic portrait of President Obama during the 2008 election catapulted him, and his street art, to new heights. As his graphics brand OBEY GIANT celebrates its 25th year, I applaud the support he lends to so many causes and his consistent ability to blend image with message. Richard Serra is to receive our Lifetime Achievement Award, and it’s hard to imagine a more worthy recipient. The size of his imagination is matched only by the size of his most prominent sculptures and installations. Even after more than five decades, he continues to move forward, and it is tremendously exciting to anticipate what he will come up with next. 6 Vicki and Roger Sant offer philanthropic leadership in several sectors, and tonight we honor them for their work in the arts. In our nation’s capital, they most notably provide both influence and funds to the National Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Symphony Orchestra. A new award is inaugurated tonight, the Legacy Award, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to see it go to my colleague on the board of Americans for the Arts, Madeleine Berman, who has served our organization for 25 years. In her home state of Michigan, her arts policy work has been instrumental at both the local and state levels, and earned her appointments by two U.S. presidents to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. As a board member of Americans for the Arts, over the past several years I’ve seen the profound impact of our work in promoting arts and healing, especially as our country deals with the injuries borne by those who have served. The American Legion Auxiliary has long understood the power of the arts in its work with veterans and military families, and we are honored to recognize its contributions. The National Arts Awards Chair The incredible dancer David Hallberg is this year’s recipient of the award named for my family’s foundation. Beyond his own considerable artistry, he so beautifully personifies how the arts can be used in cultural diplomacy via his pioneering work with the Bolshoi Ballet. He has toured the world and become one of the best ambassadors America can envisage. Finally, the Outstanding Contributions to the Arts Award goes to an organization very near and dear to my heart, P.S. ARTS. As a resident of Los Angeles and as a past board chair of P.S. ARTS, I am so pleased to see this organization recognized nationally for its efforts in providing a more complete education for so many of California’s kids. It’s my pleasure to again acknowledge Edye and Eli Broad for their continuing sponsorship of our award for individual philanthropy. The two of them set the bar very high when it comes to supporting Americans for the Arts and our country’s artists and arts organizations. We are so lucky to have all of these extraordinary honorees among us tonight. I feel privileged to chair this event for the 10th year, and I am very grateful to all the 7 wonderful people who serve on the benefit committee, as well as my colleagues on the board and staff of Americans for the Arts. Maria Bell Benefit Committee Maria Bell Chair Sarah Arison Edythe and Eli Broad Agnes Gund Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Co-Chairs, National Arts Awards Benefit Committee Herb Alpert Bill Bell Debra and Leon Black Melva Bucksbaum and Raymond Learsy 8 Gail and Alfred Engelberg Larry Gagosian David and Susan Goode Justine and Jeff Koons Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder Gael Neeson and Stefan Edlis Nora C. and James M. Orphanides Emily Wei Rales and Mitchell P. Rales MADELEINE HARRIS BERMAN Legacy Award Madeleine Berman was in 1994, and again in 2009, appointed by President born in Detroit and Obama. She is a major benefactor of the Michigan received a B.A. in music Opera Theater and a long-term supporter of the from Northwestern Berman Woodwind Youth Orchestra Group at the University and a master’s Detroit Symphony. She serves on the boards of degree in speech, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Ringling communication, and Museum of Arts in Sarasota, Florida. theatre from Wayne State University. She has been She envisioned, built, and continues to support married to Mandell L. the Berman Center for the Performing Arts Berman for 62 years and in West Bloomfield, Michigan. She remains a they have two children and strong supporter of the Detroit Institute of Arts three grandchildren. and through the Berman Foundation, is part of the current rescue plan for that institution’s Ms. Berman’s early career in the arts included irreplaceable collection. serving as the theater and music critic for the Birmingham Eccentric newspaper and as a special She has served on the board of Americans for the projects director for the Detroit Central Business Arts since 1989. District Association, planning public performances 9 of theater, music, and dance in the city's public Anne Parsons, presenter parks. She pioneered auction activities to raise Anne Parsons arrived in Michigan in 2004 and has funds for the public television station, WTVS, and led the Detroit Symphony Orchestra through a helped create the Friends of WDET for public radio. challenging and exhilarating decade of change as She is a past member of New Detroit's Arts president and CEO. For more than 30 years, Ms. Committee and one of the seven original members Parsons has served in management positions for of the first Detroit Arts Council. She was also a variety of major arts organizations, including the appointed by Governor William Milliken in 1981 New York City Ballet, the Hollywood Bowl in Los to the Michigan Council of the Arts, and in 1983, Angeles, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and was appointed Vice Chair by Governor James the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, Blanchard. Ms. Berman has served on the boards D.C. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree of the Detroit Community Music School, the from Smith College and was in the first class of Archives of American Art, and the Music Hall for the American Symphony Orchestra League’s the Performing Arts. As an early board member Management Fellowship program. She currently of Concerned Citizens for the Arts in Michigan serves on the League’s board, in addition to the (CCAM), she originated the idea of Michigan’s boards of New Detroit; Midtown Detroit, Inc.; and Governors Arts Awards. the Curtis Institute of Music. She also serves as a mentor for the Women of Tomorrow Mentor More recently, her arts service has included two and Scholarship Program, Inc. She lives in Grosse terms on the President’s Committee for the Arts Pointe Farms with her husband of 27 years and and the Humanities, appointed by President Clinton their 17-year-old daughter. Lifetime Achievement Award RICHARD SERRA Richard Serra was born in for Lifetime Achievement at the 2001 Venice San Francisco in 1938.