Every year, the Nickel Plate Arts Awards recognize some of the most inspirational artists and art advocates among the region’s thriving arts scene. The awards originally started in 2016, with nominations coming from the entire central Indiana region. Members of the community submit each nomination.
The award winners will be named at Nickel Plate Arts’ 10th Anniversary Diamond Gala on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The gala is the primary fundraiser of the year and is an important event to bring the area’s arts community together each year.
This year, Nickel Plate Arts will feature an Emerging Artist of the Year, an Artist of the Year, an Arts Patron of the Year, and an Arts Champion of the Year, which will recognize someone working hard to integrate arts into programming or putting the needs of artists in the community first.
Also new this year is an award for Cultural Venture of the Year, which recognizes those who are putting effort into creating something new in the arts community.
McGill
“The arts are such a driver for economic development in Hamilton County, it’s important to recognize those who are leading the charge to support the arts and artists throughout the year,” Nickel Plate Arts Director Ailithir McGill said. “That’s why we created this and why it continues to be an important celebration of our arts community. We love being able to tell new stories and bring recognition to local artists, but we also want to raise awareness to what they are doing to make Hamilton County a vibrant place to live.”
The nominees are listed below.
Artist of the Year
- Roseanne Crowell
- Beth A Forst
- Shaunt’e Lewis
- Eric Salazar
- Jalynn Simmons
Emerging Artist of the Year
- Critt Hunter
- Maroline Ritter
- Jenny Spires
Arts Patron of the Year
- Daniel Drexler/ Indiana Small Business Development Center
- Moonshot Games
- Jennifer Roberts
Arts Champion of the Year
- Cheryl Bowlin
- Christy Brocken
- Barb Conlin
- Marissa Deckert
- Emilia Seabourne
- Virginia Tate
Cultural Venture of the Year
- Bryan Glover
- James Holbrook
- Kelly McVey
- Eric Sablan
- Lindsay Zehren
About Nickel Plate Arts
Nickel Plate Arts is an umbrella nonprofit organization that creates and coordinates arts and cultural experiences across communities in eastern Hamilton County and the surrounding areas to improve the quality of life for residents, strengthen local economies and enrich experiences for visitors. Nickel Plate Arts is a project of Hamilton County Tourism, Inc.