Congratulations to the winners of our 2009 Community Arts Partnership Awards!

On Friday, March 6, the Greater Columbus Arts Council awarded three individuals and three businesses with a 2009 Community Arts Partnership Award for their exemplary support of the arts as part of GCAC's annual meeting at COSI Columbus.

The annual Community Arts Partnership awards, formerly the Business Arts Partnership awards, honor the Columbus community for its active support of central Ohio's artists and arts organizations. The program offers arts organizations a unique opportunity to show their appreciation of the contributions made by sponsors and individuals toward the promotion and support of their organization's arts and cultural activities. Thirty-five businesses and individuals were nominated for 2009.

GCAC also presented its annual Artistic Excellence Award—a $10,000 prize given annually to an arts organization that has demonstrated innovation, risk and artistic excellence in a performance, exhibition or program—to The Ohio State University College of the Arts and Humanities for the OSU Urban Arts Space and Midnight Robbers: The Artists of Notting Hill Carnival. Exhibitions such as Midnight Robbers provide a gateway to the university through the arts, and the OSU Urban Art Space, a newly renovated 10,000 square-foot multimedia arts space located in the historic Lazarus building, has made a significant mark on downtown.

Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla Tyson, Franklin County Commission President Paula Brooks and Charlene Brown, host of WOSU Public Media's Artzine, presented the awards during the program luncheon on March 6.

Award winners were:

• Philanthropist Anne Melvin, who received the Arts Partner award for her lifetime support of the arts, including her nominator the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
• Judy Shafer, Director of Jazz in Schools for the Jazz Arts Group, who received the Arts Educator award for her work to educate local children through the arts.
• Michael Reed, who received the Emerging Arts Leader award for his work as an artist and with Junctionview Studios.
• JPMorgan Chase, which received the award in the Large Business category for companies with more than 500 employees. Chase was nominated by Thurber House and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra.
• Oakland Nursery, which received the award in the Medium Business category for companies with 50-500 employees. Oakland Nursery was nominated by the Otterbein College Department of Dance and Theatre.
• Morse Road Family Dental Group, which received the award in the Small Business category for companies with fewer than 50 employees. Morse Road Family Dental Group was nominated by The King Arts Complex.

WOSU TV, who partners with GCAC in producing and promoting Artzine, a monthly arts and culture newsmagazine featuring highlights of some of the best artists and groups in the Columbus area, also had a part in presenting the Community Arts Partnership Awards. WOSU and GCAC teamed up to create a video presentation framework for the event, highlighting nominees with insightful footage and interviews; a summary of the city's notable arts events over the past year; and a fun, attention-grabbing appearance from Anna the Annadroid of Anatomical Scenario, winner of last year's Artistic Excellence Award.

GCAC would like to mention a special thanks to event and media sponsor, Time Warner Cable, for joining us in this year's celebration of arts partnerships.

Photo: Jeff Lyttle of JP Morgan Chase, winner in the Large Business category, poses with Andrew Lundberg and his work, Living in a moment. Each award winner received a work of art created by a local artist.