Event: Watch online now! The 2020 Spokane Arts Awards

THANK YOU for celebrating with us online for the annual Spokane Arts Awards!!! If you missed the livestream (or just want to re-watch!) the full broadcast is now available to watch free on our YouTube channel here!

It was such a treat to gather virtually and stay connected, even if we couldn’t be together in person. We’re so grateful to everyone who made this show possible, including Rogue Heart Media, Lucky You Lounge, Juan Mas, Michael Notar, Spokane Public Radio, Emma Noyes, ROSETHROW, ASL interpreter Jamie De Armas, Jenny Anne Mannan, Spokane Chinese Association, Jess Walter, Kathryn Smith, The Inlander, Gina Freuen, Vanessa Swenson, each of our nominees and everyone who took the time to nominate someone!!!

Winners of the 2020 Spokane Arts Awards were announced at the annual event on Saturday, September 26, which was held as a live-streamed broadcast from Lucky You Lounge. The Arts Awards serve as the kick-off for Arts Month, the month-long celebration of arts and culture in Spokane to coincide with national arts and humanities month in October. Spokane Arts was honored to celebrate the life and work of Kate Vita, recipient of the Karen Mobley Impact Award, accepted by her husband Richard Vander Wende. Watch the video here.

Congratulations to the 2020 Spokane Arts Awards winners:

Collaboration: Carl Richardson  SFCC Fine Arts Instructor and Department Chair

In recognition of his years of excellent collaborative work through his own visual art, his teaching and leadership at Spokane Falls Community College, and collaborations with many local arts organizations including Emerge, Terrain, Saranac Art Projects and others.  

Imagination: Sylvia Fountaine  chef, writer, photographer, Feasting at Home

In recognition of her years as an important imaginative force in our community, as one of the original chef-owners of Mizuna, with her catering business Feast Catering, and now, through her nationally-celebrated blog, Feasting at Home. Fountaine uses her gorgeous photography, writing, and recipes to take the bounty and beauty of our local food and agricultural communities and elevate them to show stopping heights while at the same time making food that is approachable, easy, and adaptable. 

Leadership: Juan Mas  filmmaker, organizer, Purple Crayon Productions

In recognition of his years of dedicated work serving so many of our local arts organizations, his tireless work as a mentor and a significant driver of cross-disciplinary artistic collaboration in the arts, and his own work as a director, screenwriter, and producer of film and television. Mas has had a huge impact on our local community, and is a founding member of Spokane Film Project, 50 Hour Slam, and the Spokane Theater Arts Council, and a board member of the One Heart Native Film Festival, as well as collaborating on projects including the Meet the Makers film series and Music Video Jams.

Inclusion: Spokane Poetry Slam  community poetry slam

In recognition of their years of work contributing to the growth of Spokane’s vibrant poetry community and creating welcoming spaces on the stage for all, as well as helping represent Spokane’s poetry community on a national level. Spokane Poetry Slam has created an inclusive and welcoming platform for so many, serving as a safe space for members of the LGBTQIA community, and elevating Black and other often unheard voices.

Nominees were submitted by community members through an open public call for nominations. In each category, award winners are selected from the nominated artists, volunteers, neighborhoods, educators, organizations, community leaders, or donors by a panel of Arts Commissioners and community arts representatives. (See below for full list of nominees in each category.) In recent years, Spokane Arts has presented award winners with unique awards crafted by local artisans. This year’s awards were created by sculptor Gina Freuen, who completed the beautifully detailed ceramic awards, based on her on-going series of tea bowls, despite breaking her wrist during production.