The Cleveland Arts Prize will induct a new class this fall, reflecting people who have excelled in poetry, music, photography, philanthropy and performance art in Northeast Ohio.
This year's winners of the juried discipline prizes are poet Ali Black, guitarist Jason Vieaux and sculptor Mark E. Howard. Each will take home a $10,000 award.
The non-monetary prizes, recognizing advocacy and philanthropy, go this year to the Mandel Foundation, playwright Robin Pease and former LAND Studio Executive Director Greg Peckham. Effie Nunes, the Cleveland Arts Prize executive director, said the board also bestowed a special citation this year.
“It was brought to our attention that there is someone in the community that is very deserving of a Cleveland Arts Prize, and at 93 years old, they didn't feel it was right to put her through the jurying process,” she said.
Jennie Jones, who began photographing Cleveland in her fifties, will be honored for documenting the city’s skyline, architecture and museums, along with the Flats and Tower City.
"She knows this city better than anyone else I know, quite honestly," Nunes said.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement winner, Mark E. Howard, a Cleveland Institute of Art alum, has created sculptures, paintings and murals that have been displayed throughout the city.
“Mark is a Clevelander through and through,” Nunes said. “I don't know how accessible it is now, but he did do a whole mural and floor piece at the at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport in one of the concourses. Right now, his work can be found at Hedge Gallery at 78th Street Studios.”
Grammy Award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux, a longtime Cleveland Institute of Music instructor, is being recognized as this year’s Mid-Career Artist.
“He's super active in the community, giving free concerts, visiting assisted living and supporting the community through lessons in underserved areas,” Nunes said.
This year’s Emerging Artist is poet Ali Black, who Nunes said made “a huge impression” on jurors with her recent book, “We Look Better Alive.”
“We are thrilled to be recognizing her,” Nunes said. “It’s always great to have poets in our group of winners because they really offer so much insight and thoughtfulness to our world. We need them very badly these days.”
In contrast to the juried prizes, community members and professionals choose the Robert P. Bergman Prize and the Martha Joseph Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts.
The former goes to Greg Peckham, who for two decades led LAND Studio as it advocated for public art projects throughout Cleveland. Last month, he departed LAND for the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
“He's done so much to transform public spaces in the city of Cleveland,” Nunes said. “We were excited to recognize him as he ends his incredible time with LAND."
Actress and playwright Robin Pease is being recognized for her role as founding artistic director of Kulture Kids.
“This organization travels to summer camps and libraries and schools and helps our youth understand Native American heroes and history through storytelling,” Nunes said. “Our jury just thought that she fulfilled everything that the Martha Joseph Prize required.”
The Cleveland Arts Prize board selected the Mandel Foundation for the Barbara S. Robinson Prize for the Advancement of the Arts. The award’s namesake previously worked with the board to select prizewinners.
“When we really looked at who fit a lot of the criteria … in terms of advocacy and financial support and leadership, it was quite clear that the Mandel Foundation fit all of those,” Nunes said.
The foundation has supported numerous institutions, ranging from the Cleveland Orchestra to Cleveland Public Theatre.
The first Cleveland Arts Prize awards were given in 1961, established by the Women’s City Club. This year, 180 artists applied for the juried prizes. The recipients will be celebrated in a ceremony Oct. 22 at Cuyahoga Community College's East Campus.
