A jury for the annual Ruth and James Ewing Arts Awards has selected 12 winners to be recognized for excellence and their contributions to the arts community.
Among the winners are Howard Mansfield and Sy Montgomery of Hancock in the Literary Arts category and Music on Norway Pond, a performing arts organization located in Hancock, in Performing Arts.
Approximately 70 nominations were made this year for artists and organizations from the Monadnock region and southeastern Vermont. Songwriter, musician, and recent high school graduate Marisol Zilske of Keene will receive the Student Award.
Artists Melody Squires and Susan Osgood, both of Brattleboro, are being recognized for their excellence and leadership in visual arts. Arts educator and music director Kathryn Butterfield of Richmond was also honored for Performing Arts. Teacher, theater artist and puppet-maker Céline Perron of Keene will receive an award in Interdisciplinary Arts.
Epsilon Spires of Brattleboro is being recognized as an excellent Presenter of the Arts for the curation of interdisciplinary, performing and visual art that expand into new genres and practices and stretch what traditional audiences enjoy.
Voice teacher and professional vocalist Stacie Pirozzi of Fitzwilliam and film teacher and enthusiast Thomas Cook will receive awards in the Community Engagement category for the ways they both have seeded and nurtured a love and appreciation for the arts to so many.
The award in Lifetime Achievement will go to composer, musician, arts educator and Playing for Peace founder Eric Stumacher of Swanzey.
The jury this year consisted of Jessica Gelter, executive director of Arts Alive; Javier Caballero, director, Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, a previous winning organization; Brinda Charry, an author and previous winner; Rosemarie Bernardi, visual artist and previous winner; and Lisa Sieverts, board member of Monadnock Folklore Society, a previous winning organization.
The mission of the Ewing Arts Awards is to bring hometown recognition to world-class artists and organizations that call the Monadnock region home.
“Each year that goes by, my appreciation and wonder grows for the rich arts community here in the Monadnock region. Our culture is one that is steeped in art — traditional styles to boundary-pushing work, from old masters to emerging dreamers. I love that we can bring attention to these artists and organizations and celebrate this part of our region’s identity,” stated Jessica Gelter of Arts Alive.