Awards to be Named `AMBIES'; Dade Cultural Alliance To Honor Political, Administrative Leadership with Ambassador of Arts' Awards Friday, Jan. 22.MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 1999-- -- Chuck Mangione, Mayor Penelas to Receive Recognition -- On Friday evening (January 22), the Dade Cultural Alliance -- the lobbying group for the arts -- is going to create its own version of the Academy Awards, Emmys and Tonys by honoring arts leaders, politicians, school administrators and others for supporting cultural life in this county. Recipients of the Ambassador of the Arts medallions (called the Ambies and selected from five nominees in twelve categories) will not be known until envelopes are open at the dinner and ceremonies at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, starting at 6::30 p.m. The Ambassador of the Arts program, according to Chairman and former Asst. Sec. of State Ron Levitt, is the group's newest means to attract attention to the 750 arts and cultural groups currently operating in Dade County and "their importance to the economy and quality of life here." Highlight of the awards ceremony will be a Global Ambassador of the Arts Award to legendary flugelhorn jazz musician Chuck Mangione, whose career has been laced with pro-bono activities for schools and cultural institutions, and a special award to Dade Mayor Alex Penelas for his support of arts institutions and his "recent leadership in providing funds to major cultural institutions in the county...an act which the entire arts community applauds." The County Commission -- spurred by Penelas -- recently set aside $900,000 for major cultural institutions in the area. The AMBIES recipients were selected by secret ballot and will be announced at the ceremonies, which will be shown later on WLRN-TV. The actual awards include: Miami Dade County Commissioner -- Most Supportive of the Arts Dade State Representative -- Most Supportive of the Arts Dade State Senator -- Most Supportive of the Arts State Official -- Most Supportive of the Arts State Official -- Most Supportive of the Arts Miami-Dade School System -- Most Supportive of the Arts City Official -- Most Supportive of the Arts There also will be awards for "Arts Leadership" in the following categories: Individual Award for Building Community Audiences; Individual Award for Outstanding Work in Arts Education; and three Individual awards for Art Administration for medium, large and major organizations. The Mangione award was voted by the DCA board of the directors. Mangione's good works are as legendary as his music. He hosted an eight-hour concert featuring jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie and Chick Corea COREA - Construction, Operation and Reciprocal Easements Agreement, which benefitted the Italian Earthquake Relief Fund and his humanitarian concerns also included work with the Special Olympics and the Blind Veterans Organization. In Florida, he has worked with schools to both raise funds and increase musical awareness and is considering a major musical event in Florida to benefit those with spinal cord injuries. Mangione -- for three decades -- has established himself as one of America's premier jazz musicians, known for his flugelhorn (and easily spotted by his famous "hat") . The Grammy multi-winner's mega-hit single "Feels So Good" is considered one of the most recognizable melodies on the American music scene and over the years his recordings such as "Children of Sanchez" and "Bellavia" have earned major awards. In 1980, Mangione's "Give it all you Got" was heard round the world as the theme of the Olympics in Lake Placid and during the 1980s, there were honors after honors, including a "Salute to Chuck Mangione", a one hour TV Special hosted by Dick Clark. Mangione's recordings are sought after in record shops throughout the world, most notably since 1989 when he took a hiatus from performing after 25 years on the road. In 1994, he returned to the stage. Advance ticketing for this event is mandatory ($60 person; tables of ten for $600). Contact the DCA at (305) 443-3223, by Fax at (305) 444-1587 or by Email at ron@levittgroup.com. -0- NOMINEES: COUNTY COMMISSIONER - Most Supportive of the Arts Gwen Margolis Jimmy Morales Dennis Moss Miguel Diaz de la Portilla Katy Sorenson DADE STATE REPRESENTATIVE - Most Supportive of the Arts Rep. Annie Betancourt Rep. Elaine Bloom Rep. Larcenia Bullard Rep. John Cosgrove Rep. Rudy Garcia Rep. Luis Morse DADE STATE SENATOR - Most Supportive of the Arts Sen. Howard Foreman Sen. Daryl Jones Sen. Ron Silver Sen. Bill Turner STATE OFFICIAL -- Most Supportive of the Arts Peyton Fearington - Director Division of Cultural Affairs Sen. Bob Graham Sen. Katherine Harris Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay MIAMI DADE SCHOOL OFFICIAL -- Most Supportive of the Arts R.T. Davis, Music Supervisor, Dade County Schools Betsy Kaplan, Member, Dade School Board Manty S. Morse, Member, Dade School Board Bob Strickland, Drama, Speech and Debate Supervisor, Dade County Schools Solomon Stinson, Member, Dade School Board CITY OFFICIAL -- Most Supportive of the Arts Joe Carollo, Mayor City of Miami Willy Gort, Miami City Commissioner Evelyn Greer, Mayor, City of Pinecrest Neisan Kasdin, Mayor City of Miami Beach Nancy Liebman , Council, City of Miami Beach Raul Valdes-Fauli, Mayor City of Coral Gables INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY AUDIENCES Rafael de Acha - New Theater Xavier Cortada - Artist/Activist Chris Dunworth - New World Symphony Rhoda Levitt - State Cultural Affairs Advisory Council Ruth Shack, Dade Community Foundation Michael Spring, Cultural Affairs Council INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING WORK IN ARTS EDUCATION Ray Azcuy,District Supervisor, Arts Education, Dade School System Laura Bruney, Arts & Business Council Roger Cuevas, School Board Superintendent Jillian Daniels Dade Division of Cultural Affairs Lilia Garcia, Dade School System, District Director, Division of Life Skills Cathy Leff, Wolfsonian INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATION (Medium Size Cultural Organizations) Rafael de Acha - New Theater Delma Iles - Momentum Dance Company Mary Luft, Tigertail Productions Steve Mitchell - CG Congregational Church Concert Series Mario Ernesto Sanchez - Teatro Avante INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATION (Large Organizations) Ellen Beck, Landmark Theater Suzanne Delahanty - Art Center of South Florida Brian Dursum - Lowe Art Museum Jane Gilbert - Art Center of South Florida Karen Ruibbino - Miami Light Project Barry Steinman - Past Chairman, Theater League of South Florida Barbara Zohlman - Miami Children*s Museum INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATION (Major Cultural Organizations) Judy Drucker - Concert Association of Florida Bob Heuer - Florida Grand Opera Arnold Mittleman - Coconut Grove Playhouse Randy Nimnicht - Historical Museum of South Florida Barbara Stein - Actors Playhouse Edward Villella - Miami City Ballet INDIVIDUAL IN THE MEDIA for advocacy/cultural support Alejandro Aguirre, Diario Las Americas Jill Beach, Television Reporter Channel 6 Lyn Farmer WTMI David Lawrence, Herald Publishing Co. Gail Meadows, Miami Herald Columnist Andrew Stark, Miami Beach Sunpost |
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