Business Council for the Arts CEO Katherine Wagner revealed that the organization founded by the late Ray Nasher in 1988 will celebrate it 31st Obelisk Awards with a stellar line up of co-chairs and nominees.
Co-Chairing the luncheon that will take place on Friday, November 15, at the Fairmont Dallas are a couple of gals who are well versed in the support of the arts Neiman Marcus VP of Corporate Culture and Philanthropy Mimi Crume Sterling and The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum Curator Jessica Liu Beasley. In addition to their professional credentials, Mimi and Jessica are BCA board members.
As for this year’s crop of nominees, here are the 45 people and organizations and their nominators:
Arts Education
- 410 Line Dancers (Nominated by 410 Line Dancers)
- The Andrea Mennen Family Foundation (Nominated by Chamberlain Performing Arts)
- Mercury One Foundation (Nominated by Dallas Film Society)
Arts Partnerships – Large
- American Airlines (Nominated by The Dallas Opera)
- Capital One (Nominated by Dallas Symphony Orchestra)
- Frost Bank (Nominated by Harwood International and Nasher Sculpture Center)
Arts Partnerships – Medium
- Baylor Scott and White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital at Arlington (Nominated by Levitt Pavilion Arlington)
- Emerson (Nominated by McKinney Performing Arts Center)
Arts Partnerships – Small
- The Andrea Mennen Family Foundation (Nominated by Plano Symphony Orchestra)
- Four Bullets Brewery (Nominated by Arts Incubator of Richardson)
- Oversee My IT LLC (Nominated by Dallas Black Dance Theatre)
- Times Record News (Nominated by Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture)
Business Champion for the Arts
- Ann and Charles Eisemann (Nominated by City of Richardson)
- Lauren Embrey | Embrey Family Foundation (Nominated by Kitchen Dog Theatre)
- Michael Heinlen | Thompson and Knight (Nominated by The Cedars Union and Thompson and Knight)
- Merrick Porcheddu | Artist Uprising (Nominated by Truss Holdings, In Vivo and Artist Uprising)
- Don Stone (Nominated by Orchestra of New Spain)
Distinguished Cultural Organization
- ArtCentre of Plano (Nominated by Atmos Energy Corp)
- The Artist Outreach (Nominated by Donnamarie McGaw)
- Bishop Arts Theatre Center (Nominated by Bishop Arts Theatre Center)
- The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (Nominated by The Black Academy of Arts & Letters)
- Cara Mia Theatre Company (Nominated by SMU Meadows School for the Arts)
- The Friends of Exall Park (Nominated by Zielinkski Design Associates Inc.)
- Headline Mentors and Performing Arts (Nominated by Headline Mentors & Performing Arts)
- Ignite Arts (Nominated by Cara Mia Theatre Company)
New Initiatives – Large
- PNC Bank (Nominated by: AT&T Performing Arts Center)
New Initiatives – Small
- Aviation Cinemas dba Texas Theatre (Nominated by Aviation Cinemas)
- Dallas Glass Art (Nominated by Pamela Riddle)
Outstanding Leadership Arts Alumnus
- James Mason (Nominated by Dragonfly Studio Creations)
- Almas Muscatwalla (Nominated by The Thanks-Giving Foundation)
- Crystal Perry (Nominated by Mayor’s Star Council and Deep Ellum Foundation)
- John Wellik (Nominated by Texas Winds Musical Outreach Inc.)
Visionary Nonprofit Arts Leader
- Mary Anne Alhadeff | KERA (Nominated by Donna Wilhelm)
- Judy Birchfield (Nominated by The Classics Theatre Project)
- Connie Dunn | Irving Symphony Board (Nominated by Irving Symphony Orchestra)
- Stephanie Keller-Hudiburg | The Deep Ellum Foundation (Nominated by Maggie Parker)
- Jacques Marquis | The Cliburn (Nominated by: The Cliburn)
- Tammy Meinershagen | Frisco Arts (Nominated by Hall Group)
- Charles Dee Mitchell (Nominated by WordSpace)
- Rogene Russell | Fine Arts Chamber Players (Nominated by Fine Arts Chamber Players)
- Revathi Satyu | Indique Dance Company (Nominated by Indique Dance Company
- Brad Sharp (Nominated by Frisco Fine Art)
- Joseph Vincelli | The Artist Outreach (Nominated by Donnamarie McGaw and Vicki Niedermayer)
Sponsorships and ticket information is available here.
* Photo provided by Business Council for the Arts