The MartinArts Awards are given in two basic categories: Honorary and Nominated.
Honorary Awards are selected by the MartinArts Board of Directors and represent a legacy of commitment to things such as leadership, arts education, philanthropy and lifetime achievement.
Nominated Categories are divided into Professional Artist and Student Artist (High School Seniors only) and represent the visual, performing and literary arts disciplines. The awards are presented to an individual in each category with a proven record of artistic excellence, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Honorary Award Recipients
Honorary Awards are an integral part of the MartinArts Awards program. The categories were selected by the founding committee of the MartinArts Awards as a way to recognize key elements that make an arts community vibrant and sustainable. A short bio and photography of each honorary award recipient will be included in the program book and a representative of each nominee will be presented with an award during the evening’s program and be given a moment to say a few words. The honorary awards represent a legacy of commitment that has allowed the arts to be a part of the treasures this community has to offer its residents and visitors.
Lawrence A. Sanders Foundation Lifetime Achievement in the Arts: The individual has shown a lifetime of commitment to the improvement of the quality of life in our community through dedication, leadership and inspiration. They may be a professional artist – visual or performing – or a lifetime advocate for the arts as an integral part of the fabric of our community.
Recipients: Charlotte Clayton, Nancy O’Malley, Phil Kavanaugh, Janeen Mason, Marie Jureit Beamish, Sandra Thurlow, Rita Vallis, Jane Davis Doggett, Jane Miller, John Whitney Payson, John Enyart, James Hutchinson, Guy Coheleach, Conney Dahn, Elmar Oliveira, Grace Linn, Joanne Raulin (2024)
Excellence in Arts Education: Recognizes an individual for a career in arts education and for being an inspiration to his/her students to aspire to greatness in the arts.
Recipients: Ron Corbin, Tom Wetzl, Kristal Wion-Eckhardt, Karen Haines, Joe Flanagan, Tracy Canada, Marcus Raab, Bridget Glass, John Stiles, Lynne Barletta, William Lindner, Thomas Dougherty, Cindy Kessler, Ashley Monks, Amanda Jones, John Egan, James Paul (2024)
Philanthropy in the Arts: An individual or family who has through significant contributions given to and enhanced the cultural life of our community.
Recipients: Richard and Dana Kibbey, Lawrence A. Sanders Foundation, Women Supporting the Arts, OPUS Boosters, Vianne Nichols, Peter and Julie Cummings, Barbara Trimble, Frances Langford Foundation, Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties (Forever Arts Challenge), Maureen O'Connor Deighan & Family, David L. Smythe, Jerome and Phyllis Rappaport, Craig and Elizabeth Price (2022)
Arts Leadership: An individual who has served as a consistent driving force to keep the arts alive in Martin County. This person is perceived to be constantly on the front line keeping the arts visible. A true passion for the arts is demonstrated in their every effort.
Recipients: Ernie and Helen Berlin, Janet Hutchinson, John Loesser, Cecelia Serra, Craig Price, Ethel Christin, Bob Valle, Jeanette Mueller, Ron Hart, Tom Servinsky, Carol Kepp, Sharon Ferina, Nancy Steinberg, Doug Smith, Tom Prestopnik, Karen L. Barnes, Neil Capozzi, Al and Lindsay Hager, Kia Fontaine, Ron Rose (2024)
Corporate Leadership: A corporation with a commitment to funding, supporting and participating in the arts and cultural life of our community. Through their gifts, arts and cultural activities and events have been consistently enhanced.
Recipients: Dunn Capital, Management, Northern Trust, Massey Yardley, Palm Beach Post, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, UBS, Publix Super Market Charities, Wilmington Trust, Electrical Connections, Fox Wackeen, The Terrio Group, PNC - Arts Alive!, Seacoast Bank, Palm City Art & Frame, Masterpiece Design/Build (2023)
Arts Service: Honors an individual that participates in donating volunteer time to an arts organization/cause or is an unsung hero for the arts. An award recipient encourages support for the organization through action and is truly dedicated to the cause of the nonprofit(s) that benefit from their attention. This award may not be given every year.
Previously a nominated award category entitled “Volunteer in the Arts”:. Recipients: Margaret “Peggy” Meissner, Connie Bass, Ginger Baldwin, Rita Jenkins-Gaines, Graham Monk; Pamela Fogt, Karen Vaina, Francine Beckstead, Ethel Christin.
Recipients: Glenn Webber, Mary Ann Loomis, Pat Pendergast, Joann Gallagher, Sue Sokel , Paul Nunley (2024)
Special Recognition: Serves to recognize a special happening in the arts and cultural life of Martin County that is unique and deserving of special attention and thanks. This award may not be given every year.
Recipients: Edward and Suzan Sellian, Mary Shaw, HCG, BOCC / Arts Tourism, Peggie O’Neill, Water Birds Project / City of Stuart, Nadia Utto, MCHS Visual Arts Teachers (Amanda Jones and Bryan Johnson) and Kim Jones for the Martin County Historical Mural at the Prescription Shop, The Barn Theatre in honor of their 50 years!, Hank Gonzalez, Ripple EcoArt Project led by the Martin County Office of Community Development and Artist Lucy Keshavarz (2024)
Award Recipients | Professional & Student
And our Nominees Are… we also accept nominations from the community to recognize artists and student artists. The nominations represent a very important part of the arts community, and that is the artists themselves who are giving back, enriching the community through their creativity and expression of their talent, as well as the volunteers (many of whom have no artistic talents themselves) who believe in support the organizations who bring the arts to audiences across Martin County.
Literary Artist: Presented to an individual with a proven record of artistic excellence in the literary arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Kris Landry, Amika Devi, Betty Jo Buro, Gale Baker, Kristal Wion-Eckhardt, Jennifer Collins, Myriana Merkovic
Performing Artist: Presented to an individual with a proven record of artistic excellence in the performing arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Christina Burr, Cynthia Kessler, Gayle Mingledorf, Peter Jones, Constantinos Jaferis, Douglas Jewett, Jennifer Jones, Terry Barber, Al Hager, Karin Leone, Jeanette Mazzella, Rowdy Carlton, Tasha Shirley, Lorrianna Colozzo, Jackie Robbins, Brandon Glick, Amy Clark
Visual Artist: Presented to an individual with a proven record of artistic excellence in the visual arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Tom Prestopnik, Caesar Cirigliano, Margaret Gray, Brenda Leigh, Tom Winter; Ruthann Hewson; Cristina de la Vega, Jane Blatt, Dan Mackin, Geoffrey Smith, Mia Lindberg, Mallo Bisset, Suzanne Connors, Chris Kling, Jane Lawton Baldridge, Dot Galfond, Michaelann Bellerjeau
Digital Media Artist: Presented to an individual with a proven record of artistic excellence in the media arts (related to video, film and computer graphics), outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Jeff Younglove, Steve Martine, Mitch Kloorfain (no longer awarded – merged into Visual)
Student Literary Artist: Presented to a student with a proven record of artistic excellence in the literary arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Jillian Sechrist, Bianca Grosso, Julian Heidelberg, Jazmine Cratty
Student Performing Artist: Presented to a student with a proven record of artistic excellence in the performing arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts. In 2018 we split the Student Performing Artist award into a Theatre (musical theatre, drama) and a Music (classical voice, instrumental) sub-categories.
Recipients: Angelica Melillio, Michael Wood, Kendra Eaton, Megan Moran, Ryan Weiss, Martha Sturm, Kevin James Connor, Cory Jeacoma, Spencer Ballantyne, Kevin Paul, Savanna Webber, Ryan Cox, Victoria Bartolotta, Valerie Grau, Sophie McClung (theatre), Daniel Bentz (music), Eliza Levy (theatre), Brandon Gunter (music), Hannah Roebuck (theatre), Alexander Cooper and Sarah Spector (music), Katie Vitale (theatre), Ava Gunter (music), Andrea Martine, Logan Jacobs
Student Visual Artist: Presented to a student with a proven record of artistic excellence in the visual arts, outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Tracy Cochran, Sara Brokaw, Alex Fogt, Ellen Krebs, Ashley Baldwin, Sarah Tranter, Ariana Martinez, Jordan Schulz, Cristina Perez, Madelene Wishart, Shelby Baillie, Ryan Chimelis, Theresa Legein, Jacqueline Rouse, Isabella Gallese, Alexandra Trejo, Christopher Carnes, Sophie Araque-Liu, Daphne Dalton
Student Digital Media Artist: Presented to a student with a proven record of artistic excellence in the media arts (related to video, film and computer graphics), outstanding civic responsibility, and whose leadership has improved the quality of life in our community through the arts.
Recipients: Christopher Mennuto, Nicholas Lively, Jesse Forbes, Amanda Wind (no longer awarded – merged into Visual)
Special Awards:
Innovo Award: Jesse Forbes
Sanders Award: Brett Taylor, Connor Hadel, Mika Fowler
2018 Special Recognition Scholarship in memory of Debi Owens, a former Arts Council board chair and Marties Committee Chair: Charlotte Strohl
