The Arts Awards, presented every December by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, honors the artistic excellence and outstanding achievements of visual, performing and literary artists, arts organizations, architects, arts educators, advocates and administrators whose contributions enable the arts to thrive in the region.

2009 ARTS AWARDS

The Arts Council of Greater New Haven hosted its annual Arts Awards Luncheon on Friday, December 4, 2009, at the New Haven Lawn Club. This year we paid tribute to those among us whose enduring spirit has enriched and inspired our community.

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

Jean Handley
C. Newton Schenck III Award for Lifetime Achievement in and Contribution to the Arts
Jean Handley is a woman of extraordinary wisdom whose influence has shaped New Haven’s arts community and, by extension, the audiences who have experienced the yield of her tireless advocacy and leadership. Handley broke gracefully through societal glass ceilings as she rose to the upper echelons of the corporate sector, setting a powerful example, along the way, for younger generations of inspired and determined women. A lifelong champion of the region’s arts organizations and an individual of exceedingly high standards, Handley has been a voice of practical reason for several of the city’s celebrated institutions, including the Long Wharf Theatre and LEAP, to name just a few. She is also responsible, along with Anne Calabresi and Roslyn Meyer, for the establishment in 1996 of the renowned International Festival of Arts & Ideas, which, each summer, draws thousands of culturally curious minds to New Haven for performances by some of the world’s most remarkable artists. Jean Handley’s contributions to the arts in this city are as immeasurable as the depth of her passion for the arts, the strength of her convictions and her unwavering sense of possibility.

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

Pedro Alejandro
For the past 25 years, Pedro Alejandro’s artistic expression has enhanced the lives of his students, his fellow Fair Haven residents and countless audience members who’ve seen his visionary and intelligent work. Pedro Alejandro’s journey to becoming an inspirational dancer, choreographer and teacher began in his native Dominican Republic, from which his family emigrated. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges he faced in his adopted home of the Bronx, New York, Pedro Alejandro embraced opportunity. Free tickets to see Martha Graham’s The Rite of Spring at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts were more than a priceless gift from a school counselor. They were symbolic, keys to a future in which he would earn degrees from Cornell and Ohio State University, study at the groundbreaking Dance Theatre of Harlem and be appointed chairman of Wesleyan University’s dance department, becoming the first Latino in this country to serve in that capacity. Today, Pedro Alejandro creates opportunities for others, be they his students or his neighbors in Fair Haven, where, for a decade he has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to creating beauty and fighting “visual poverty.”

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

William Kent
At 90, sculptor William Kent continues to let his conscience speak through his work, waking each day, before the sunrise, to wield the tools of his craft. As a young man, William Kent studied music at Yale University under influential German composer Paul Hindemith, before turning to sculpture and printmaking as his means of expression and communication. William Kent has been influenced no more by artistic trends than he has by the art establishment itself. In a world where “unique” is far too often used as a default description, William Kent has been neither conventional nor subtle. Whether working with slate or wood, William Kent has spoken provocatively about the politics and popular culture of our time. His work has been controversial and it has been challenging. Above all, it is an honest reflection of a sophisticated and thoughtful man. William Kent’s voice continues to resonate for all those who have seen his stunning and thought-provoking work.

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

Frank Mitchell
The greatest gift one with an insatiable intellectual curiosity can bestow on those around him is his vast, scholarly knowledge. Frank Mitchell has given much to the New Haven community. An erudite historian next to whom any member of the community can feel at ease and at home, Frank Mitchell has explored African American culture and traditions locally and throughout the United States, and has shared his discoveries through the written word, film and the visual arts. His interests are as diverse as he is talented, and all that he touches reflects his passion, enthusiasm and character. Frank Mitchell cannot help but become the backbone of the projects in which he involves himself. And yet there’s one area he will rarely discuss: Frank Mitchell. He simply doesn’t talk about exhibits he’s curating, the articles, essays or books he’s writing, the documentary films he’s producing or the classes he’s teaching, because it’s never about him. For Frank Mitchell, it’s about scholarship and the spread of knowledge. We are the beneficiaries of that pursuit, and we are a richer community because Frank Mitchell has shared so much.

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

Sylvia Petriccione
We all know how absolutely vital the arts are to the development of young minds, and to the development of an appreciation for the arts that spreads throughout society, across borders and between cultures. For nearly a decade, Sylvia Petriccione has spent her days communicating that message to students, teachers and administrators alike. As artistic coordinator at the Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, Sylvia Petriccione ensures that the lives of tomorrow’s luminaries are imbued with a deep-seated passion for the arts and creative expression. She not only recognizes the important role the arts play in our children’s lives and their growth, but that the arts and academics are not mutually exclusive — that a curriculum can only benefit from a healthy infusion of creativity. Sylvia Petriccione resolutely advocates on behalf of students, is a champion of the teachers who foster creativity and vigorously protects the interests of both.

Photo by Harold Shapiro.

Shubert Theater
On Friday, December 11, 1914, the Shubert Theater’s curtains rose for the first time, putting New Haven on the national stage and establishing the venue as a cultural landmark where generations of audiences have experienced unforgettable performances by some of history’s most iconic artists. Today, as the Shubert Theater celebrates its 95th birthday, one only has to look at the beloved productions that were first produced on its stage, and the ascendant stars whose young careers blossomed in front of New Haven audiences, to appreciate the nickname it earned decades ago: the Birthplace of the Nation’s Greatest Hits. Al Jolson starred in the world premiere of Robinson Crusoe, Jr. on the Shubert’s stage. A musical called Away We Go opened at the Shubert before heading to Broadway as Oklahoma! And a young actor named Marlon Brando starred in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire at the Shubert Theater. Beyond the venue being the Birthplace of the Nation’s Greatest Hits, those who have worked behind the scenes at the Shubert Theater, which is currently operated by the not-for-profit organization CAPA, have reached into our community to make the arts accessible to all generations.

2008 Arts Awards Recipients