mmatuczinski — ArtsQuest Foundation

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Acclaimed Television and Broadway Star Daniel Dae Kim to Receive ArtsQuest Foundation’s Prestigious Pinnacle of the Arts Award

Freedom High School alum will accept award at Linny Awards Ceremony Nov. 9 at SteelStacks

The ArtsQuest Foundation is pleased to announce that nationally acclaimed actor and former Bethlehem resident Daniel Dae Kim will receive the Foundation’s prestigious Pinnacle of the Arts Award at the second Linny Awards ceremony Nov. 9 at the ArtsQuest Center’s Musikfest Café at SteelStacks. The Pinnacle of the Arts Award, selected by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board, is presented to an individual who has lived or currently resides in the Lehigh Valley and has achieved national or international distinction in the visual, literary or performing arts.

Kim is perhaps best known for his role as Chin Ho Kelly on the 2010 reboot of the classic television show “Hawaii Five-0.” Prior to that he played Jin Soo Kwon on the hit TV series “Lost,” for which he shared a 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble, and was honored individually with an AZN Asian Excellence Award, a Multicultural Prism Award and a Vanguard Award from the Korean American Coalition, all for Outstanding Performance by an Actor. In 2009, Kim was recognized with the prestigious KoreAm Achievement Award in the field of Arts and Entertainment and also named one of PEOPLE Magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive.”
In a return to his theater roots, Kim played the King of Siam in Rogers & Hammerstein’s “The King and I” in 2009 at the Royal Theatre in London, and in 2016 played the same role on Broadway, receiving a Broadway Beacon Award and the Theater Legacy Award from New York’s Pan Asian Repertory Theater.

Born in Busan, Korea, Kim moved to the U.S with his parents when he was 2 years old. He grew up in Bethlehem and attended Freedom High School, where he was class president and also played tennis. In his senior year, he had a role in the play “Harvey,” but truly discovered acting while a student at Haverford College in Haverford, Pa. He later attended New York University, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts.

“Growing up in the Lehigh Valley was a major influence on who I am today, and I’m grateful to the Linny Awards Committee for honoring me with this award,” Kim says. “I hope I can do Linny herself proud.”

After earning an advanced degree, Kim’s film career began in earnest with roles in “The Jackal,” “For Love of the Game,” “The Hulk,” “Spider-Man 2,” “The Cave” and the Academy Award-winning “Crash.” On camera he has guest-starred in numerous television shows, including “CSI,” “ER” and two seasons on “24” as Agent Tom Baker. He also starred in the Emmy Award-nominated miniseries “The Andromeda Strain.”

Kim has also lent his voice talents to the award-winning film “The Tale of Princess Kaguya,” as well as several video games, most notably creating the role of Johnny Gat in “Saints Row” games 1, 2 and 3.

The Linny Awards are named after the late Marlene “Linny” Fowler of Bethlehem in honor of her dedication to and support of the arts. The awards, presented annually, celebrate the extraordinary artists, art educators, businesses and philanthropists who have lived, now live or work in the Lehigh Valley.

In addition to the Pinnacle of the Arts Award, the Foundation will be presenting additional awards for which the public is welcome to submit nominations. The categories include Visual Artist of the Year, Performing Artist of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Arts Educator of the Year, Business Supporters of the Arts, Philanthropy in the Arts, Excellence in Production Design and Lehigh Valley Scholarship Award. The deadline for submissions is May 14; for criteria and submission directions go to www.artsquestfoundation.org/linnyawards.

The ArtsQuest Foundation is also looking for supporters for the 2017 Linny Awards. Sponsorship information and opportunities are available by contacting Lauren Stoy at lstoy@artsquest.org or visiting www.artsquestfoundation.org/linnyawards.

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Allentown Attorney Dolores Laputka and Acclaimed Artist Steve Coleman to Receive Lifetime Achievement Awards at 2nd Linny Awards Nov. 9

The ArtsQuest Foundation is pleased to announce that Dolores Laputka, of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus law firm in Allentown, and renowned saxophone player Steve Coleman will be the recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2nd-annual Linny Awards. Laputka, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Volunteer in the Arts Award, and Coleman, who will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Artist Award, will receive their honors during the Linny Awards celebration Nov. 9, 6 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.

A longtime volunteer in the Lehigh Valley, Dolores Laputka has been involved with numerous community and arts organizations for nearly two decades. A business/estate/tax attorney, Laputka currently serves as the chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the Allentown Art Museum, and she has been a member of the Museum’s Board since 2000. From 2008-’10, she served as chairperson of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, and assisted United Way in weathering the impact of the worldwide financial crisis. Laputka is also a past chairperson of the Good Shepherd Development Committee, a past president of the Rotary Club of Allentown and chairperson of the Professional Advisory Board to the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation.

A nationally-acclaimed saxophone player, Steve Coleman has been called “the linear heir to the instrument’s greats, like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane.” In 2000 he received the Herb Alpert Award, and more recently he received one of America’s most prestigious awards, a MacArthur Fellowship. He has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Doris Duke Impact and Artists Award.

Along with Parker and Coltrane, Coleman says he was influenced by Sonny Rollins, Von Freeman and Bunky Green. A Chicago native, he hitchhiked at age 22 to New York City, where he studied with several Big Bands. Coleman is one of the founders of the so-called ‘M-Base movement,’ which he explains means expressing one’s life experiences through music, using improvisation and structure.

A resident of Allentown, Coleman has led several groups over the years, including ‘Steve Coleman and Five Elements,’ which began in 1981 and is still active today. He has performed and recorded with Thad Jones, Sam Rivers, drummer Doug Hammer, Cecil Taylor, Abby Lincoln and Dave Holland. Coleman has traveled around the world to study music, and often incorporates elements from the folkloric music of African Diaspora. He has released nearly 30 solo recorded works and played as a collaborator or sideman on three dozen others.

Named after philanthropist Marlene ‘Linny’ Fowler, the Linny Awards are designed to celebrate the region’s vibrant arts community while honoring Mrs. Fowler’s legacy of supporting local youth, community and arts organizations through her volunteerism and donations. Tickets for the Linnys Award ceremony will go on sale later this spring.

“As an artist and philanthropist, Linny Fowler had an immeasurable impact on the arts in our region and the Linny Awards are designed to recognize our thriving arts community, including our talented artists, arts educators, students and supporters of the arts,” says ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks. “Dolores Laputka and Steve Coleman are two individuals who truly embody the spirit of what these awards are all about – dedication and passion for the arts and our community.

“Dolores has done so much for our region and inspired so many through her tireless volunteerism, particularly at the Allentown Art Museum. Steve has had a tremendous influence on generations of saxophone players, with his spontaneous composition approach to music. We are truly honored to present these two individuals with our second Lifetime Achievement Awards.”

The Lifetime Achievement Artist Award and Volunteer in the Arts Award are two of three prestigious lifetime honors (third is Pinnacle of the Arts Award) presented by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board to recognize distinguished individuals from the region for their longtime commitment and dedication to the arts. In addition, the foundation also presents awards in 10 other categories. From now through May 14, nominations are being accepted for visual, literary and performing artists; volunteers; arts educators; and philanthropists who have made significant contributions to the arts through their work. Individuals may also nominate area businesses for their dedication and support of arts and culture in the Lehigh Valley for the Linnys’ “Business Supporter of the Arts” awards. The complete list of awards and the submission form are available at www.artsquestfoundation.org/linnyawards.

The 2017 Linny Award recipients will receive their awards at a ceremony on Nov. 9, 6 p.m., in the ArtsQuest Center’s Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling. All proceeds from the event will support the nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation, which was founded in 2002 by Mrs. Fowler. For more information on the ArtsQuest Foundation and the Linny Awards, please visit www.artsquestfoundation.org.

ArtsQuest Foundation Names Inaugural Award Recipients

Awards recognize creativity and support of the arts in the region

The ArtsQuest Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the first Linny Awards. Named after the late Marlene ‘Linny’ Fowler of Bethlehem, the multidisciplinary awards honor Fowler’s dedication to and support of the arts, while celebrating the extraordinary artists, arts educators, businesses and philanthropists who live and work in the Greater Lehigh Valley.

The Linny Award winners are:

Vicki DaSilva of Allentown, PA, for Visual Artist of the Year
This award is for two- and three-dimensional visual arts such as painting, sculpture, digital, fiber, glass, ceramics, jewelry, metal and photography, as well as designers of fashion, musical instruments, furniture and other handcrafted works. DaSilva has been credited with the term “light graffiti” and was the first to use the medium as a solo art practice, as well as to create text-based work and work using fluorescent tube lamps as light painting tools.

Craig Thatcher of Coopersburg, PA, for Performing Artist of the Year
This award recognizes a Lehigh Valley performing artist whose work symbolizes excellence in its field. Thatcher is a renowned rock and blues musician who has toured across country and around the globe, while also opening or performing with artists ranging from Roseanne Cash and Roger McGuinn to Jonny Lang and Ted Nugent.

Jeremy Gipson of Orefield, PA, for Emerging Artist of the Year
This award honors an artist no older than 30, who is up-and-coming and/or has had a breakthrough year, and whose work also contributes to the region’s culture and community. Gipson creates both visual art and music and was the winner of the inaugural ArtPop Lehigh Valley Scholastic Billboard Competition presented by Adams Outdoor Advertising in 2016.

Denise Parker of Bethlehem, PA, for Arts Educator of the Year
This award honors a Lehigh Valley-based educator, teaching artist or arts administrator who has made a profound impact on students and/or the community through his or her work in the arts. Parker is the vocal music/choral director at Northeast Middle School in Bethlehem, teaching all 790 students there. She has been described as “deeply dedicated to her students and passionate about helping them create music.”

Paul Farr of Center Valley, PA, for Philanthropy in the Arts Award
This award recognizes an individual, family or foundation that has made a major commitment to supporting multiple arts and cultural organizations or programs in the region. Farr currently serves on the ArtsQuest Visual Arts Board and Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center Honorary Board, and he previously served on the Board for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and was its 2013 Campaign Chairman. In 2016, he and his wife, Kym, founded the Cesar Bourdon Memorial Fund through the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation to honor organizations or individuals dedicated to helping neighbors in Allentown’s inner city.

Knoll, Inc., located in East Greenville, PA, for Excellence in Product Design
This award honors a Lehigh Valley-based business or corporation for the quality, innovativeness and creativity of its goods and products.

Three area businesses also received Supporter of the Arts Awards. They are:

Concannon Miller, located in Bethlehem, PA, for Small Business Supporter of the Arts (under 100 employees)

Embassy Bank, located in Bethlehem, PA, for Medium Business Supporter of the Arts (100-199 employees)

Air Products, located in Allentown, PA, for Large Business Supporter of the Arts (200 or more employees)

Jordie Werner of Bethlehem, PA,
received the Penn State
Lehigh Valley Scholarship Award
This $1,500 award goes to a high school junior or senior planning to pursue a career in arts administration. Werner is a senior at Liberty High School and a film/video producer.

“We are very fortunate to have such an extraordinary array of highly talented artists in our region; however, it made the selection process very difficult,” says Jeffrey Parks, Executive Director of the ArtsQuest Foundation. “It was also a challenge to select only three businesses and one philanthropist, as we are extremely grateful to all those who continue to support the arts in the region.”

Linny Award nominations were submitted for artists, organizations and businesses in Lehigh, Northampton, Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, and Warren County in New Jersey.

Members of the Linny Awards Selection Committee included MKSD Architects Associate Partner Todd Chambers; Quadrant Private Wealth Director of Business Advisory Services Dan Crowley; Broadway and television actress and director Lynnie Godfrey; The Elucidator Publisher and Connexions Gallery Curator/Manager Anthony Marraccini; Musselman Advertising President Jamie Musselman; ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks; and DANCENOW New York Artistic Director and Producer Robin Staff.

The ArtsQuest Foundation Board previously selected three distinguished individuals from the region for their longtime commitment and dedication to the arts. They are:

Steve Tobin of Quakertown, PA, for the Lifetime Achievement Artist Award
Tobin is a world-renowned sculpture who is perhaps best known for his Trinity Root, the large-scale sculpture placed at St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan after the 9-11 attack.

Joe Brake of Bethlehem, PA, for the Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Award
A longtime volunteer in the Lehigh Valley region, Brake has been involved with numerous community, arts and cultural organizations for more than three decades.

Ann Roth of Bangor, PA, for the Pinnacle of the Arts Award
Roth is an Oscar, Tony and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award winning costume designer. She has worked on more than 100 movies and plays, including The Odd Couple, The Nance and Midnight Cowboy.

The Linny Awards presentation will be held Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. All proceeds from the event will support the nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation, founded in 2002 by Fowler. For more information on the ArtsQuest Foundation, please visit www.artsquestfoundation.org. To purchase tickets to the event go to www.steelstacks.org.

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Coca-Cola’s Joseph Brake and Acclaimed Artist Steve Tobin to Receive 1st Lifetime Achievement Awards at Inaugural Linny Awards Nov. 10

The ArtsQuest Foundation is pleased to announce that Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s Joseph Brake and renowned artist Steve Tobin will be the recipients of the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 1st Linny Awards presented by Cornerstone Advisors this fall at SteelStacks.

Brake, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement – Volunteer in the Arts Award, and Tobin, who will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Artist Award, will receive their honors during the Linny Awards celebration Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.

A longtime volunteer in the Lehigh Valley region, Joe Brake has been involved with numerous community, arts and cultural organizations for more than three decades. The Vice President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Bottling Companies of Lehigh Valley and Chester County, Brake currently serves on the boards of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Charities and Best Inc. and as a member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors. He has also served as member of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America – Minsi Trails Council, a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the boards of the Bach Choir, Lehigh Valley Partnership and the Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley.

Brake is the recipient of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Award from the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, the Lehigh Valley PICPA Service Award from the LifePath Foundation and the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America – Minsi Trails Council. He was the honorary chair of fundraisers and campaigns for the American Lung Association, the Bethlehem Rotary Club, Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Pediatric Hospital “Gala in the Garden.”He and his wife Mary Pat reside in Coopersburg and are the proud parents of two grown children, Dan and Kelly, and five grandchildren.

An internationally-acclaimed sculptor and glass artist whose work is featured in galleries and collections around the globe, Steve Tobin is an artist whose work has been deeply inspired by nature. A graduate of Tulane University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, the Coopersburg resident is perhaps best known for his Trinity Root, the large-scale sculpture placed at St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan, New York City, in 2005.

During the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the chapel had been partly shielded from damage by a 70-year-old sycamore tree. Tobin created the bronze sculpture of the stump and roots of the tree, financing the $330,000 sculpture himself by taking out a home equity loan to do so.

During his career, Tobin has exhibited his work throughout North America including the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.; James A. Michener Art Museum of Doylestown, Pa.; and the Museum of Art & Design and American Craft Museum in New York City. His iconic root sculptures can be found in major cities around the globe, ranging from Calgary, Canada to Osaka, Japan. In addition, his art is featured in permanent public and private collections including those of the White House, Philadelphia Museum of Art, King Faisal’s Palace in Saudi Arabia and the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Wash.

“As an artist and philanthropist, Linny Fowler had an immeasurable impact on the arts in our region and the Linny Awards are designed to recognize our thriving arts community, including our talented artists, arts educators, students and supporters of the arts,” says ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks. “Joe Brake and Steve Tobin are two individuals who truly embody the spirit of what these awards are all about – dedication and passion for the arts and our community.

“Joe has done so much for our region and inspired so many through his generosity and his volunteerism, while Steve has really helped place the Lehigh Valley on the map as a home for world-class artists, so we are truly honored to present these two men with our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Awards.”

The Lifetime Achievement Artist Award and Volunteer in the Arts Award are two of three prestigious honors chosen by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board to recognize distinguished individuals from the region for their longtime commitment and dedication to the arts. Earlier this summer, Oscar and Tony Award winning costume designer Ann Roth of Bangor was named the recipient of the Linnys’ first Pinnacle of the Arts Award. All three recipients will receive their lifetime achievement awards during the 2016 Linny Awards, set for Nov. 10, 6 p.m., in the ArtsQuest Center’s Musikfest Café.

Tickets for the Linny Awards are on sale now at www.artsquestfoundation.org/linnys. All proceeds from the event will go to support the nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation, founded in 2002 by Mrs. Fowler. For more information on the ArtsQuest Foundation and the Linny Awards, please visit www.artsquestfoundation.org.

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When Victor Schmidt decided to relocate from the country to the city nine years ago, the one place that really resonated with him was Bethlehem’s RiverPort Condominiums, conveniently located to the city’s thriving historic district and developing SouthSide arts district.

Although he was looking for a new home close to a variety of amenities and attractions, what he really found was a ‘community,’ one that was all embracing and working tirelessly to bring people from all walks of life together through music and art. At the forefront of this movement was ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that presented Musikfest and was talking about opening a new music venue called the Levitt Pavilion.

When the Levitt opened, Schmidt quickly fell in love with the venue and its mission. In 2011, he joined the Friends of the Levitt Board and was amazed to discover that nearly 80 percent of the Levitt’s funding is raised locally. Although the concerts are ‘free’ to attend, each and every artist is paid, which means contributions from individual and corporate donations play a huge role in funding the venue.

This year Schmidt took advantage of a new program established by ArtsQuest Foundation to help support ArtsQuest and its programming at Levitt Pavilion by leaving a legacy gift to the Friends of the Levitt Pavilion via a life insurance policy. He says the decision was an easy one, since he believes so strongly in the ArtsQuest mission.
“I originally didn’t really know that much about the Levitt, but the more I learned, the more I said, ‘What’s not to like?’ Last year we had over 80,000 people come down to the lawn, and one of the reasons I wanted to leave one of my life insurance policies to the ArtsQuest Foundation is that I believe in giving back to the community.

“There are nights that I sit there, the blast furnaces are lit up and there are 4,000 people on the lawn. There’s so much energy here that I have to pinch myself and think, ‘Am I really in Bethlehem, PA?’ It’s that hard to believe.”

For anyone considering leaving a life insurance policy to the ArtsQuest Foundation, there are three options: naming ArtsQuest as a beneficiary on a policy, making a gift of an existing policy, or making a gift of a new policy. Schmidt is quick to note the process is extremely quick and easy.

“I simply named the ArtsQuest Foundation as a benefactor. You need to do a little bit of paperwork and that’s it,” he says. “I’m hoping that over time the policy grows, and upon my passing there will be a nice little gift that will help continue the Levitt Pavilion for our next generation.”

Want to make a legacy gift to the ArtsQuest Foundation via a life insurance policy? Visit artsquestfoundation.planmylegacy.org or contact Jeffrey A. Parks at 610-297-7300 or jparks@artsquestfoundation.org.

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Oscar and Tony Winner Ann Roth to Receive Inaugural Pinnacle of the Arts Award at ‘Linny Awards’ Nov. 10 at SteelStacks

The ArtsQuest Foundation is pleased to announce Oscar and Tony Award winning costume designer Ann Roth as its inaugural Pinnacle of the Arts Award recipient. The award will be presented to Roth during the inaugural Linny Awards presented by Cornerstone Advisors Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.

A Bangor area resident, Roth has earned Tony, Academy and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards for her beautiful costume work in films and Broadway productions. In 1997 she took home the Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work in The English Patient, and in 2013 she earned a Tony for The Nance. This year, Roth is a Tony Award nominee in the category for Best Costume Design of a Musical for her work in the Broadway production Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. The Tony Awards will be announced June 12, 8 p.m., on CBS.

A Carnegie Mellon graduate who began her career as a scene painter for the Pittsburgh Opera, Roth got her start in costume design after meeting designer Irene Sharaff at the Bucks County Playhouse. Sharaff invited Roth to California to help her with costumes on the film Brigadoon, with Roth assisting Sharaff for several films and Broadway productions before setting out on her own.

During her career, Roth has worked on more than 100 movies and plays. These include productions such as The Odd Couple, They’re Playing Our Song, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and The Nance, as well as films like Midnight Cowboy, The English Patient, Silkwood, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Stepford Wives, Closer, The Good Shepard, Freedomland, Mamma Mia!, Julie &Julia, A Little Bit of Heaven, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Mildred Pierce and the upcoming release, The Girl on the Train.

“Ann Roth’s stunning costumes and clothing have been featured in major motion pictures, Broadway productions and television series for more than half a century,” says ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks. “Her amazing work and her passion for the arts have earned her numerous national and international honors including Oscars, Tony Awards and the Costume Designers Guild Award for Lifetime Achievement. We’re blessed to have this incredibly talented and innovative design icon living in the Lehigh Valley, and we are thrilled to present her with the first-ever Pinnacle of the Arts Award during this year’s Linny Awards.”

Established in honor of artist and philanthropist Marlene “Linny” Fowler of Bethlehem, the Linny Awards are a multi-discipline arts awards program designed to showcase the greater Lehigh Valley’s artists, innovators and arts leaders. This year’s inaugural Linnys will present awards in 11 different categories including Visual Artist of the Year, Performing Artist of the Year, Educator of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year and Philanthropy in the Arts.

The Pinnacle of the Arts Award, selected by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board, is presented to an individual who has lived or currently resides in the Lehigh Valley and has achieved national or international distinction in the visual, literary or performing arts. Two other awards recognizing distinguished individuals from the region for their longtime commitment and dedication to the arts – the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Award – will be announced this summer.

Nominations for the 2016 Linny Awards are being accepted through June 3, 11:59 p.m. The ArtsQuest Foundation encourages the public to nominate area artists, individuals and businesses for consideration for the Linny Awards at www.artsquestfoundation.org. All submissions will be reviewed by The Linny Awards Selection Committee, with winners announced the week of June 20. Complete details on categories and submission guidelines are available at www.artsquestfoundation.org.

All proceeds from the Linny Awards support the nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation, founded in 2002 by Mrs. Fowler. For more information on the ArtsQuest Foundation and the Linny Awards, please visit www.artsquestfoundation.org.

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Region’s Arts Community to be Celebrated Through New ‘Linny Awards’

Awards, named after late Marlene ‘Linny’ Fowler, will be presented annually by ArtsQuest Foundation and benefit arts education & access in the Lehigh Valley

Submit a Nomination

Submission Guidelines

For more than a quarter-century, Marlene ‘Linny’ Fowler of Bethlehem worked tirelessly to elevate the Lehigh Valley’s arts organizations and artists through her volunteerism and her support. Now, the region has the opportunity to celebrate this flourishing arts community and honor Fowler’s memory by taking part in the Linny Awards, a new multi-discipline arts awards program focused on the greater Lehigh Valley’s artists, innovators and arts leaders.

The inaugural Linny Awards presented by Cornerstone Advisors will be presented Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, with all proceeds from the event going to support the nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation, founded in 2002 by Mrs. Fowler. From now through June 3, the public is invited to nominate artists, individuals and businesses at artsquestfoundation.org for consideration in eight different award categories including Visual Artist of the Year, Performing Artist of the Year, Educator of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year and Philanthropy in the Arts. All submissions will be reviewed by the Linny Awards Selection Committee, with winners announced the week of June 20. Complete details on categories and submission guidelines are available at artsquestfoundation.org.

In addition to the honorees chosen by the selection committee, the ArtsQuest Foundation Board will present three prestigious awards that recognize distinguished individuals from the region for their longtime commitment and dedication to the arts. The recipients of these awards – the Lifetime Achievement Artist Award, Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Award and the Pinnacle of the Arts Award – will be announced later this spring.

“The arts have long been a significant contributor to the culture, economy and quality of life in the Lehigh Valley,” says ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks. “The Linny Awards are designed to celebrate this culture of creativity by recognizing the artists, arts educators, businesses and philanthropists who live, work and support the arts in our region.

“One of the primary reasons the arts are thriving in our area is the support of Marlene ‘Linny’ Fowler. A longtime member of the ArtsQuest Foundation Board, Linny supported so many arts programs and organizations in our region over the decades. In addition to serving on the boards of arts organizations such as the Allentown Art Museum, Baum School of Art, State Theatre and ArtsQuest, she was a mentor to many artists and was actively involved in a number of arts programs benefitting our young people, so it’s fitting that these awards are named in her honor.”

As part of the Linny Awards, the ArtsQuest Foundation will also recognize the creativity and support of the region’s business community through two special honors. The first, the Excellence in Product Design Award, will honor one Lehigh Valley-based business or corporation for the quality, innovativeness and creativity of its goods and products. The second, the Business Supporter of the Arts Award, will be presented to one small, one medium and one large-sized business (three in all) for their long-term support of the arts.

Thanks to a partnership with Penn State Lehigh Valley, the Linnys will also present a $1,500 scholarship to Penn State Lehigh Valley to one local student planning to major in Arts Administration. The award, which will be presented annually, is open to students in 11th and 12th grades.

Members of the Linny Awards Selection Committee for 2016 include MKSD Architects Associate Partner Todd Chambers, Quadrant Private Wealth Director of Business Advisory Services Dan Crowley, Broadway and television actress and director Lynnie Godfrey, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Sr. Vice President of Allentown Initiatives Miriam Huertas, The Elucidator Publisher and Connexions Gallery Curator/Manager Anthony Marraccini, Musselman Advertising President Jamie Musselman, ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Jeff Parks, DANCENOW New York Artistic Director and Producer Robin Staff and Lehigh University Director of Arts Engagement and Community Cultural Affairs Silagh White.

Linny Award nominations may be submitted for artists, organizations and businesses in Lehigh, Northampton, Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, as well as Warren County in New Jersey. Tickets for the Linny Awards Ceremony will go on sale to the public later this spring, with all proceeds from the event going to support the ArtsQuest Foundation, established to strengthen the long-term sustainability of ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that presents Musikfest and more than 2,200 other programs, events and educational classes annually.

“ArtsQuest continues to expand access to the arts and arts programming in our region with each passing year,” says ArtsQuest Foundation Board Chair Jack Yaissle. “Amazingly, nearly 70 percent of the organization’s arts and cultural programs remain free for our community to attend. This annual awards ceremony not only celebrates our diverse arts community, it will also help raise much-needed revenues for our endowment funds supporting ArtsQuest, which now has an economic impact on our region of more than $117 million annually.”

The inaugural Linny Award categories are:

VISUAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Honoring a Lehigh Valley visual artist whose work embodies excellence in its field. This category includes but is not limited to two- and three-dimensional visual arts such as painting, sculpture, digital, fiber, glass, ceramics, jewelry, metal and photography, as well as designers of fashion, musical instruments, furniture and other handcrafted works.

PERFORMING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Recognizing a Lehigh Valley performing artist whose work symbolizes excellence in its field. This category includes but is not limited to theater, film, dance and other forms of performance art, animation, comedy and music, as well as the literary arts, playwrights and screenwriters.

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Celebrating an artist 30 years of age or younger who demonstrates excellence in his/her field. This award is designed to honor an up-and-coming artist or an artist who has had a breakthrough year, and through his or her work has contributed to the region’s culture and community in a very positive way.

ARTS EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Dedicated to a Lehigh Valley-based educator, teaching artist or arts administrator who has made a profound impact on students and/or the community through his or her work in the arts. This award is open to any individual working with students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school.

PHILANTHROPY IN THE ARTS AWARD
Recognizing an individual, family or foundation that has made a major commitment to supporting multiple arts and cultural organizations or programs in the region, and through their work has truly enhanced access to the arts and the quality of life in our region.

EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCT DESIGN
The Lehigh Valley is home to a diverse array of businesses producing dynamic and innovative consumer, business, medical and technology-based products. The Excellence in Product Design Award annually recognizes one Lehigh Valley-based business or corporation for the quality, innovativeness and creativity of its products or goods.

BUSINESS SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS
Presented annually to three area businesses for their dedication and support of arts and culture in the region for five or more years. The award is given to businesses that have a presence in or do the majority of their business in the region.

Eligibility categories are:
Small Business: under 100 employees
Medium-Size Business: 100-199 employees
Large Business: 200 employees or more

PENN STATE LEHIGH VALLEY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The $1,500 Penn State Lehigh Valley Scholarship Award will be presented annually to one student in the region who demonstrates significant talent and promise in the visual, literary or performing arts and is looking to pursue a degree in Arts Administration. High school juniors and seniors are eligible for this award.

The following three awards will be selected by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board:

PINNACLE OF THE ARTS AWARD
This prestigious award is presented to an individual who has lived or currently resides in the Lehigh Valley and has achieved national or international distinction in the visual, literary or performing arts.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT- Artist Award
Celebrating an artist whose work in the arts symbolizes the highest level of excellence, commitment and achievement in his/her field over a period of 20 years or more. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made significant, longtime contributions to the visual, literary or performing arts.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – Volunteer Award
Recognizing one individual who has served in a volunteer leadership role in one or more arts organizations and whose hard work, dedication and passion for the arts have led to a significant difference for the organization(s) and our community.

For more information on the ArtsQuest Foundation and the Linny Awards, please visit www.artsquestfoundation.org.

SOUTH SIDE LOFTS

The Housing Development Corporation MidAtlantic (HDC) is a non-profit organization based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Their mission is to expand residential opportunities for low-income families, senior citizens and individuals. While the organization maintains over 3,000 housing units in Pennsylvania and Delaware, it was not active in the Lehigh Valley. In 2012, the organization began looking in the Lehigh Valley and found the Banana Factory Arts Center. Because the Department of Housing and Urban Development has a program oriented to providing housing for artists, many of whom qualify for tax credit rent subsidies, HDC was interested in developing its first project oriented to artists. When they found properties just a few blocks from the newly opened SteelStacks Cultural Campus, they knew this was an opportunity.

“Finding the St. Stanislaus property was perfect. We did a market study and found that there was demand for artist housing, “ stated Donna Overly Marketing Specialist, of HDC MidAtlantic. The project grew as the former Banko Beverage property a block away on Atlantic Street was added. The final project includes 46 1,2 and 3 bedroom residential units along with community space in the former St. Stanislaus Church. “The community room can be used as a gathering space for exhibits, meetings, workshops and engagement with the neighborhood” added Overly. “We are looking forward to working with ArtsQuest on joint arts and community programs.”

The South Side Lofts has added much needed new affordable housing in the community. Opened for occupancy earlier this year, all 46 units are occupied, 19 by artists.

Five of the loft units are set aside for residents with visual and hearing impairments. Six of the loft units are ADA – Handicapped Accessible units. The entire project has adaptively reused a vacant church property, contributed to the vitality of the neighborhood and encouraged greater presence of artists in the South Side.

Envisioning a community alive with the Arts

JANICE LIPZIN, ArtsQuest Vice President of Visual Arts and Education

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Janice Lipzin’s family business was music. Her dreams had always been to be a part of that world as a classical flutist. As dreams often do, Janice’s dreams grew to include journalism and photography and she set about learning photography the old fashioned way, finding her life’s passion in the dark room. Watching the photographs she had taken develop and seeing the magic that the camera had captured changed her life.

As a newly minted graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, a chance invitation to a party led to an unexpected job offer at Sigma Photo. Her work there with 300 photographers was a unique opportunity to experience the impact of photography. After Sigma she worked with the official Statue of Liberty photographer during its historic restoration and with Magnum, the agency of choice for the top professional photographers in the world. Janice’s role as advisor to these inimitable photographic artists gave her a coveted window into their world. She loved her work and it didn’t hurt that while at Sigma, she met her other great love, Paul, an aspiring playwright.

Janice and Paul left their life in the city to raise daughter Natalie at a slower pace in Pennsylvania. In the Lehigh Valley Janice retained photographer clients and taught at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. In 2004, by chance, she saw the ad for a Director of the Banana Factory and was intrigued.. The rest, as they say, is “her-story.”

“I was in the right place at the right time. Within six months after I came to the Banana Factory, Mark Gumz, then President of Olympus America, came to my office to discuss their move to the Lehigh Valley.” The Olympus Digital Imaging Center at the Banana Factory and a pathway to learning digital photography was the result of that fated conversation.

The digital imaging classes at the Banana Factory have drawn many to photography. Frank Smith a real estate management executive credits the Banana Factory program with reigniting his interest in digital photography. “Janice Lipzin was an integral part of getting me back into the digital photography arena. My relationship with Olympus as one of their twelve visionary photographers grew out of connections I made with the company through their commitment to the Banana Factory.” Frank today travels the country speaking on behalf of Olympus and exhibiting his work.

In 2004 Jim Harmon, a glass artist, came into Janice’s office with the idea to launch a glass studio at the Banana Factory. With advice from renowned Quakertown glass and metal artist Steve Tobin, the ArtsQuest Glass Studio opened in 2006, adding a new dimension to regional visual arts.

Roy Gruver, Director of Technology Management at Lehigh University, discovered a passion for glass in ArtsQuest Glass Studio classes. Now an instructor for glass fusing and slumping, Roy states, “As an artist herself, Janice understood what it would take to bring glass artists together to create a vibrant community. In turn everyone in the community can now appreciate this wonderful art form.”

With SteelStacks on the horizon, Janice had more in mind than the major public art pieces on the site and the new Alvin H. Butz Gallery. Janice envisioned a regional photography festival and in 2009, InVision was born. The Lehigh Valley’s own photography festival has garnered wide acclaim and has attracted speakers, exhibitors and attendees from all over the country. At the same time, Janice achieved the impossible by establishing Lehigh Valley Photography Month, with dozens of local art galleries and institutions working together to celebrate and exhibit photography.

Ricardo Viera, Director of Lehigh University Art Galleries and an internationally recognized photography expert, worked with Janice to develop InVision. He states, “Janice is a very passionate person. She is an artist. With ArtsQuest she had the opportunity to use this passion for photography to create a credible Lehigh Valley photography festival and to convince over 40 galleries to display photography. She is an amazing, effective person who truly understands photography.”

The significance of the Arts to health and healing has most recently captured Janice’s imagination and efforts. The Banana Factory includes programs and exhibits for people with disabilities. The exhibits have a profound effect on the students, their families and visitors.

Janice says: “When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I had time at home to do some research because there is a rich array of how the arts heal”. Janice’s experience and the experiences of the community resulted in programs that reach people afflicted with illness, as well as their families and caregiver including:

An inpatient program in partnership with a New York non-profit and the Livestrong Foundation, offering arts creation opportunities to patients in area hospitals. Programs of this type are now offered in over 50% of US hospitals;
An Arts and Healing program that brought together artists/healers from around the world;
A partnership with the Pediatric Cancer Society of the Lehigh Valley that includes patient and family programs and led to the Society’s moving their offices to the Banana Factory.

Janice has worked tirelessly to bring diverse, creative artists to the Banana Factory, to offer hundreds of exhibits of local, regional and nationally known artists, to enhance the visual arts education offerings taught by artists, and to partner with public and private schools to offer visual arts programs. Her vision, creativity and courage have left an indelible mark on ArtsQuest, the Banana Factory and the community.

– Ray Canze

LEHIGH VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS

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In 2003 the fledgling charter high school for the arts opened in the former Laros factory on Bethlehem’s East Broad Street. The dream was to have a school that would offer a creative environment for students who sought a different way to learn. Today the school has 490 students with arts concentrations in dance, figure skating, instrumental music, theatre, visual art, vocal music and, next year, literary arts. The former factory space that the school was renting since its inception was windowless, cramped and lacked a connection with the community.

“Our philosophy is that the community is important to the educational experience of the students, “ stated Diane LaBelle, Executive Director of the school, during a recent tour of the new building under construction at 3rd and Polk Streets in Bethlehem’s SouthSide Arts District. “Here we are close to Touchstone Theatre, Godfrey Daniels, Banana Factory, SteelStacks, Steel Ice Center and dozens of restaurants.” LaBelle explained that like the old building the new building will not have a traditional cafeteria service. Students may earn privileges to go out into the community for lunch, a great opportunity for exploring.

By any standards, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts has been a success. While 91% of the graduates go on to higher education only about 12% actually pursue arts fields at such colleges as Rhode Island School of Design, Boston Conservatory of Music and New York University. LaBelle was recently notified that the school has been nominated for consideration for Newsweek Magazine’s top 300 high schools in the United States! Under Pennsylvania law students from any school district in Pennsylvania may choose to attend any charter school in the state. All prospective students must pass an audition and meet academic standards. Students from 42 of the state’s 500 school districts are now attending the school, which will increase its capacity to 650 students with the new building.

LaBelle is known to the ArtsQuest family for her role as Director of the Banana Factory Arts Center from 1998 to 2003, before she left to assist in the development and implementation of the Goggle Works Arts Center in Reading. An architect by training, she has injected many ideas into the beautiful new school. She points out that EVERY CLASS ROOM in the building has natural light. The Theater, which seats 370, has an entrance on 3rd Street for members of the public who attend performances. The auditorium can be used in several configurations for different kinds of productions. In addition to dance studios with high ceilings and natural light, there is an informal commons room where students can relax between classes or for their lunch period. (There will be a “grab and go” food service in this area to replace the convenience of the WAWA next door to the current school.) Views of SteelStacks, City Hall, Central Moravian Church, South Mountain and Holy Infancy Church make this location a primer on Bethlehem history.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the building is the third floor exterior patio with adjacent classroom. The patio, with a west facing view of Third Street, is designed to support a garden or perhaps a physics experiment. Each year before the start of classes the faculty of the school will compete for use of the classroom and balcony for a course that requires interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts and other courses like biology, physics, mathematics, English or perhaps social studies. Just like the arts, the education here offers endless opportunities for creativity. The school will welcome students this August.