30 Sep NICKEL PLATE ARTS HONORS AWARD WINNERS AT GALA
Fifth annual Noblesville Creates Awards announced at Mustard Seed Gardens
On September 23, Noblesville Creates held its eighth anniversary gala with the fifth edition of the Noblesville Creates Awards, celebrate the area’s burgeoning arts scene and recognize some of the most valuable artists and arts advocates.
Twenty-two individuals were nominated by community members. The nominees were recognized for their exceptional devotion to the arts. The 2020 nominees offered an unprecedented variety of nominations for the Noblesville Creates Awards, which made the job of selecting winners especially difficult for the Noblesville Creates board members and staff team.
Aili McGill, Executive Director of Noblesville Creates, couldn’t speak any more highly of the individuals who have contributed to the area arts scene over the last year. “Noblesville Creates reaches out to artists and patrons at all levels with the goal of making art an important part of everyone’s lives in the communities we serve,” McGill offered. “This year, the Noblesville Creates community has stepped up in some significant ways and created some incredible artwork.We wanted to honor these significant contributions to the arts over the past year.”
In a first-ever award category, Sue Payne took home the Lifetime Achievement Award. Payne’s professional life in the arts includes more than fifty years of teaching, exploration, leadership and discovery with organizations including Hamilton County Artists’ Association and Conner Prairie.
Here are the winners in each category:
Emerging Artist of the Year:Jay Thornbury and the Indy Gorgeous Club
Artist of the Year:Korie Pickett
Emerging Patron of the Year:Dick Gordon, Gordon Premium Properties and Gordon Marketing
Patron of the Year:Anthony Najem, Meyer Najem Construction
Arts Educator of the Year:Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi, Noblesville Creates and Ignite Studio
Lifetime Achievement Award:Sue Payne, Hamilton County Artists’ Association and Conner Prairie
The event included both silent and live auctions, live music, live in-person and virtual art demonstrations, a catered dinner from Jacquie’s GourmetCatering, and a virtual ticket option for patrons and artists who felt more comfortable enjoying the evening from the comfort of their homes.
Noblesville Creates was thrilled with the enthusiasm from its 8th Annual Gala and Awards Night, both from in-person and virtual ticketholders. According to McGill, “We can’t wait to jump back in tomorrow morning and continue to advocate for a vibrant arts scene in Central Indiana. Our network of artists, community partners and patrons is what fuels us to keep moving forward.” Look for more ways to get involved with Noblesville Creates’ community events, art exhibits, and opportunities at noblesvillecreates.org.
