First Governor’s Awards in the Arts and Humanities distributes 12 honors
Georgia ranks 49th in the nation in legislative arts appropriations, but the state is putting some marketing muscle behind its cultural offerings.
In a Capitol ceremony on Tuesday, Gov. Nathan Deal gave a dozen honors to individuals and organizations with the first Governor’s Awards in the Arts and Humanities, recognizing contributions to the state’s cultural vitality.
A move to publicize Georgia’s creative industries, the awards merge what used to be separate honors presented by the state-run Georgia Council for the Arts and the private nonprofit Georgia Humanities Council. The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office has become a third partner in organizing the awards, intended to become an annual presentation.
“Georgia’s artistic and cultural enterprise facilitates our competitiveness in the global market and attracts new commerce,” Deal said in a statement.
The first honorees are: Atlantan Annette Cone-Skelton, president and CEO, Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia; Atlanta musician Bruce Hampton; Atlanta storyteller Akbar Imhotep; Atlanta poet-educator Thomas Lux; Marietta woodturner Philip Moulthrop; Albany educator Arthur Berry; Paul Pierce, producing artistic director of Columbus’ Springer Opera House; Amy Lotson Roberts, executive director, St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition; Carrollton historian Melvin Steely; Kay and Dean Swanson of Cornelia, benefactors, Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia; Savannah Music Festival; and Thomaston-Upson Archives.
Each honoree received a hand-turned bowl from native Georgia hardwoods by Matt Moulthrop, son of honoree Philip Moulthrop. The younger Moulthrop is included in the current “40 Under 40: Craft Futures” exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery.
Georgia ranked dead last nationally for state government funding for the arts last year but moves up to 49th for fiscal 2013 after Arizona zeroed out arts funding, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Georgia’s legislative appropriation to its arts council was $578,689 in fiscal 2012. That works out to 6 cents per capita. The No. 1 state, Minnesota, designates $5.77 per capita to the arts, the national group said.
