You Are Here: About  VAC Annual Awards
Change text size
Print Subscribe to RSS feed Fan us on Facebook
 
Vermont Arts Council: Inspiring a Creative State hands
Home
Grants
       I Want to Apply for a Grant
       I Received a Grant...Now What?
       Recent Grantees
       Featured Grantees
Resources
       ArtMail
       Calendar
       Enter Calendar Events
       Classifieds
       Arts Directory
       Accessibility
       Store
Programs/Initiatives
       Advocacy
       ArtSupportsMe
       Legislative Arts Caucus
       The Art of Action
       Breaking into Business Workshops
       doing our pART
       The Big E
       Cultural Heritage Tourism
       Art In State Buildings Trail
       Art of VT: The State Collection
       Public Art
       VT Marble Trail
       The Danville Project
       Past Programs/Initiatives
Education
       Teaching Artist Roster
       Poetry Out Loud
       Partnerships
       Arts Integration
About
       DONATE
       Staff
       Board
       Annual Reports & Strategic Plan
       Spotlight Gallery
       Sculpture Garden
       VAC Annual Awards
       Press Room
       Blogs & Video
       Email Us
 

Featured Events
spacer
State of Vermont logo
Working to advance and preserve the arts at the center of Vermont communities.


artists

Vermont Arts Council Annual Awards

Each year the Arts Council recognizes outstanding individual and organizational contributions to the arts in Vermont with a variety of awards.  These are presented at public ceremonies and provide an opportunity for the recipient to be honored by colleagues, friends, family and members of the communities where they live and work. Annual awards include:

  • Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
  • Walter Cerf Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
  • Citation of Merit Award


The Arts Council accepts award nominations throughout the year. To nominate a Vermont artist or cultural organization, please fill out the form below OR send a letter of recommendation with a description of the nominee’s qualifications.  Be sure to include contact information for yourself and for the candidate. Letters can be sent via e-mail or postal mail to Vermont Arts Council, 136 State Street, Montpelier, VT  05633.  Nominations can also be faxed to 802-828-3363.

2010 Award Recipients

Three outstanding contributors to Vermont’s cultural community will be honored with the Walter Cerf Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts: Jane Ambrose, Jean Olson and Andrea Rogers.

The Walter Cerf Award is presented to individuals who have made a sustained contribution to the arts and has had an impact on Vermont's cultural life. The award is named in honor of the late philanthropist Walter Cerf whose generous gifts, exceeding $5 million, have benefited numerous Vermont institutions including the Arts Council. Mr. Cerf was instrumental in establishing the Arts Endowment at the Vermont Community Foundation, and his contributions have created a $1 million fund to assist Vermont's artists and arts organizations.

Jane Ambrose
Jean Olson
Andrea Rogers
[CONTENT]
Jane Ambrose
[CONTENT]
Jean Olson
[CONTENT]
Andrea Rogers

Andrea Rogers

Jane Ambrose was appointed as Lane Series director in 1987 by then-president Lattie Coor, who recognized in her a love and knowledge of live music that would benefit the community for decades to come. (Photo: Auke Kempes.)
Jane Ambrose, director of the University of Vermont Lane Series, will retire from her position this June after 23 years of service. Ambrose first came to UVM in 1965 and worked in acquisitions at the (then) Bailey Library. She began teaching in the Music Department in 1967 and chaired that department for 10 years. Professor emerita since 2000, she continues to teach her popular "Music in Live Performance" class through the Honors College.

During the many years Ambrose juggled a full-time teaching position, chaired a department, and curated the Lane Series, she also continued her career as professional musician. A flutist, she specializes in historical instruments and carries out research on Bach, early music performance practice, and women composers. A teacher of many noteworthy Vermont musicians including Trey Anastasio, she wrote the introductory notes to the second edition of The Phish Companion.

As director of the Lane Series, she has brought an extraordinary roster of talent to the UVM campus. Under her tenure, the series has developed an international reputation as a producer of early music, presenting such artists as Anonymous 4, Hesperus, the Boston Camerata, and many more. Many well known classical artists, such as pianist Frederic Chiu, furthered their careers performing on the Lane Series stage. An average year of concerts at major international venues often held a surprising number of "overlaps" with the UVM Lane Series, as Ambrose had an exceptional knack for persuading artists of note to make a stop in Burlington on their way to and from Boston, Montreal, and other major metropolitan areas.

Always open-minded and enthusiastic about all kinds of music, dance, theater and film, Ambrose will remain as classical music consultant to the Lane Series. Natalie Neuert, Lane Series manager since 1994, will succeed Ambrose as director. "I am so lucky to have had a career with so much satisfaction from the work itself, the students and our Lane audience," Ambrose says, "and I'm happy to leave the Lane Series in Natalie's very capable hands."

Jean Olson

Jean has been the executive director of Governor's Institute of Vermont since 1994. This is her favorite work ever because she gets to be part of the family of GIV along with so many outstanding students and faculty. She got her Master's Degree in the field of gifted education in 2000 and is now working on her doctorate at UVM in the same field. She is particularly interested to learn more about the educational, social, and emotional needs of high potential adolescents. In her spare time, she plays fiddle in the Barn Band.

Andrea Rogers

Andrea Rogers has been Executive Director of the Flynn Center since 1983, effectively leading it through a decade of development phases. Prior to that she was the Capital Fund Director and the initial Project Director for the historic Flynn Center's purchase and early renovation. She has spearheaded the growth of the Flynn Center into the premier performing arts center in the region. The center provides a home for area arts organizations, presents over 50 of its own performances throughout the year, co produces a significant Jazz Festival, and hosts creative and commissioning residencies by significant national artists.

The Center has an active and year round education program, providing quality performing arts experiences for over 25,000 students and teachers a year, and additional teacher training workshops in the arts. The Center recently completed a $4.4 M Capital Campaign and a first phase of construction, with major challenge grants from The Kresge Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and has been selected to participate in the National Performance Network, the Lila Wallace NJSO National Jazz Network.

Prior to her involvement with the Flynn, Andrea was founding director (1974 80) of the University of Vermont Church Street Center for Community Education; and Director of Prevention, Planning, and Education for the Vermont Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (1970 74). She has a B.A. with honors from the University of Michigan with a major in history and history of art, and has been a performing musician all her adult life. She currently performs with the Oriana Singers, a small semi professional choral ensemble.

Andrea is currently on the Board and Executive Committee of the New England Foundation for the Arts. She has served on the Boards of the League of Historic American Centers, the Vermont Arts Council, and the Vermont Health Foundation. In addition she has served on numerous arts panels, on the steering committee of the local arts assessment project and the capital planning committee for Downtown Burlington, and is working to establish a downtown cultural district.    

In May 1995, she received an honorary doctoral degree in the arts from St. Michael's College for her service to the arts and humanities. She also received an honorary doctoral degree (of letters) from Burlington College in the spring of 1997.

Review panel experience includes Vermont Arts Council grants to organizations, visual arts, and education as well as chairing a public art selection committee in Burlington. She is also an active participant in various organizations leading the Arts In Education efforts in the state.

Invitations to serve on NEA Education and Challenge Panels were declined due to conflicts of interest.

Photo courtesy of Frédéric Silberman

Past Award Recipients

Click on the award below to see a list of past recipients.

Click here to expand content  Walter Cerf Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
Click here to expand content  Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
Click here to expand content  Citation of Merit and Council Business Awards

Nominate an Awardee

Fill out the form below to nominate someone for a Vermont Arts Council award or citation.  Please do the following before filling out this form:

  1. Read the award criterion thoroughly.
  2. Prepare/find a short biography about the individual you are nominating.
  3. Include a picture in your nomination if possible.




File Size: 1000KB Maximum
File Types: .jpg .jpeg .jpe .gif .bmp
CAPTCHA image
Enter the code shown above
Submit
* Required
Accessibility Policy        Users with Special Needs       Privacy Policy

Equal Opportunity is the Law. A Vermont Government Website.
Vermont Arts Council | 136 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05633-6001 | 802-828-3291 | TTY: 711 | Email Us
©2008 State of Vermont. All rights reserved. Admin