Bulletin report
The Doña Ana Arts Council (DAAC) has announced the winners of its 2023 Community Arts Awards, which DAAC has been presenting for the past 36 years to “honor individuals and organizations who are actively involved in promoting and enhancing the visual, performing and literary arts in our community through leadership, support, and advocacy,” DAAC said in a news release.
The awards will be presented 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at The Hood, 3206 Harrelson St. The theme for this year’s awards gala is “The Golden Age of Hollywood.”
The 2023Awards and recipients are:
- Papen Family Award: Las Cruces Public Schools Coordinator for Teaching and Learning Fine Arts Joseph Flores. The award honors an individual who has demonstrated commitment to the arts through extraordinary leadership, service and/or financial support.
- Community Arts Award: Learning Action Buffet, a space where youth and adults come together to share art in the form of music, crafts and spoken word. The award recognizes an individual, organization or business whose motivation, service and example have made a marked impact on the cultural life of our community. The recipient is
- Public Service to the Arts Award: State Sen. Carrie Hamblen of Las Cruces, who is president and CEO of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the outstanding contributions by an individual or governmental organization for their contribution to the arts.
- Arts in Education Award: Doña Ana Community College (DACC) professor Abby Osborne, who teaches in DACC’s art department. The award recognizes an individual whose leadership and pioneering spirit promotes and shapes visual, literary, and performing arts education initiatives.
- Art in Public Places Award: Christina Ballew, former chair of the Las Cruces City Art Board and co-founder and creative director of NMCO in Las Cruces. The award recognizes an individual who has created or placed art on permanent public view within Doña Ana County that exemplifies the highest standards and commitment to art in public places.
- The Cultural Heritage and Development Award: Mariachi Aguilas de Juan de La Cruz, “which has played a vital role in keeping authentic Mariachi music alive in the Las Cruces area,” DAAC said. The award recognizes an individual or group organization that has preserved and promoted the culture and heritage of the Mesilla Valley through artistic and creative endeavors.
- The Newcomer Award: Barbara Houghton, an artist, retired educator and volunteer who has exhibited and published extensively in the United States and abroad. The award recognizes leadership and support of the arts by an individual or group that has been in Doña Ana County fewer than five years.
- Emerging Artist Award: Local artists Asiah Thomas Mandlman and Yashoda Latkar. Added this year, the award recognizes two artists aged 22-35 whose art practice shows exceptional promise, a distinctive vision, and the willingness to take risks. The recipients are.
- The Future Generation Art Award: Alma d’arte Charter High School students Madison Smith and Cora Richardson. Also added this year, the award identifies two young students, attending middle or high school, whose work exhibits both exceptional talent and promise beyond their age. The recipients are
The Oct. 8 awards celebration will include a reception, music provided by Alma d’arte students, food by Lorenzo’s, an open cash bar by Dry Point Distillers and a silent auction featuring a painting created by DACC students and DAAC interns Isabella Flores and Ariela Flores.
Due to limited seating, an RSVP is required to attend the awards ceremony.
Tickets are $15 per person and $25 for two and are available online at boxoffice.daarts.org/e/7/the-36th-annual-community-arts-awards, at the DAAC office, 230 S. Water St. or by calling 575-523-6403.
