COTA 2024 Award Winners
The following awards will be presented to the winners at this years Celebration of the Arts event:
-Thomas Barnes Lifetime Achievement, named after longtime Arts Council board president: The winner is Carson Waterman of Salamanca.
-Distinguished Artist of the Year: The winner is Laurie Donner of Allegany.
-Excellence in Arts Education: (one from each county) The winners are Debra Eck in Chautauqua County, Dana Crandall in Cattaraugus County, and Zachary Hamm in Allegany County
-Volunteer of the Year Award: (one from each county)
The winners are Marcia Merrins in Chautauqua County, Paul Nelson in Cattaraugus County, and Eric Jones in Allegany County
-Program of the Year: (one from each county)
The winners are Sukanya Burman Dance in Chautauqua County, NIGHT LIGHTS at Griffis Sculpture Park in Cattaraugus County, and Palmer Opera House in Allegany County
The following awards will be presented to the winners at this years Celebration of the Arts event:
-Thomas Barnes Lifetime Achievement, named after longtime Arts Council board president: The winner is Carson Waterman of Salamanca.
-Distinguished Artist of the Year: The winner is Laurie Donner of Allegany.
-Excellence in Arts Education: (one from each county) The winners are Debra Eck in Chautauqua County, Dana Crandall in Cattaraugus County, and Zachary Hamm in Allegany County
-Volunteer of the Year Award: (one from each county)
The winners are Marcia Merrins in Chautauqua County, Paul Nelson in Cattaraugus County, and Eric Jones in Allegany County
-Program of the Year: (one from each county)
The winners are Sukanya Burman Dance in Chautauqua County, NIGHT LIGHTS at Griffis Sculpture Park in Cattaraugus County, and Palmer Opera House in Allegany County
Award Descriptions:
-Thomas Barnes Lifetime Achievement, named after longtime Arts Council board president: This award celebrates the career of an individual artist, organization, individual at an organization, or individual artist who, among other distinctions, has demonstrated particular commitment to his or her work throughout a long career and has made important contributions regionally, nationally or internationally in his/her field, especially at a milestone marker, such as retirement, job change, posthumous recognition, etc.
-Distinguished Artist of the Year: This award honors individual artists in any discipline for their creative excellence and superior accomplishments in 2023.
-Excellence in Arts Education: This award honors an arts educator (one from each county) for their work in providing art instruction that helps to guide the next generation of artists in our region and cultivating lifelong supporters of the arts
-Volunteer of the Year Award: Many of the region’s arts and cultural organizations rely on volunteers to put on the show! This award recognizes the outstanding volunteer (one from each county) efforts of an unpaid individual or group that has had a major impact on the arts and culture sector.
-Program of the Year: This award will honor the achievement, dedication, and creativity of an individual or organization one from each county.