Governor’s Arts Awards

2008 Governor’s Arts Award Recipients

Distinguished Arts Award:
Marilyn Maye

Photo Credit: Marilyn Maye

Marilyn Maye was born in Wichita, Kansas and her career is one of honors, awards, and landmark achievements. Known as “the singer’s singer,” she has performed in cabarets and theaters from Monte Carlo for the late Princess Grace to New York’s Lincoln Center. Marilyn was signed to a recording contract with RCA, releasing seven albums and 34 singles from her appearances on the Steve Allen Show. Her hits include “Cabaret” and “Take Five.” Maye is a Grammy nominee and recipient of the coveted Jazz Heritage Award, the Kansas City Jazz Ambassador’s Award of Excellence, the Elder Statesmen of Jazz Award, and lifetime achievement awards from both the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and Kansas City’s CODA Jazz Fund and named an Official Jazz Legend by The American Jazz Museum. She was listed as one of the Best Performers of the Best Compositions of the 20th Century by The Arts Council of The Smithsonian Institution for her recording of Lerner and Lowe¹s composition “Too Late Now.” Ms. Maye appeared regularly on nearly all major, national live performance television shows, including a record 76 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He called her “Super Singer.” She headlined Kansas’ 2005 outdoor concert series “Jazz in the Woods”, which drew a crowd of 10,000. She has also appeared for five two-week engagements, since October 2006, at New York’s Metropolitan Room. In November 2007 she appeared at Rose Hall in Lincoln Center as a special guest of The Mabel Mercer Foundation. They entitled her an hour-long presentation, “The Art of the Performance.” In January 2008 the Nightlife Critics choose her for their most prestigious award which was presented at Town Hall in New York. And, in April 2008, New York Back Stage Bistro Awards presented her with their Lifetime Achievement Award. Today, the rave reviews, her singing, her wit, the fun she has on stage, her energy and her love for the business continue.

Arts Community:
The City of Wichita, Department of Arts and Cultural Services

Photo Credit: The City of Wichita, Department of Arts and Cultural Services

The City of Wichita created the Wichita Museum in the 1930 to house the Roland P. Murdock collection of American Art, initiating the city’s tradition of lending public support to the arts. Most recently the city committed to a 5-year program to allocate $3 million annually to support the arts with funds distributed across arts organizations in the city. In addition to this already considerable commitment, the city government has dedicated $50,000 in additional funds to the Chamber of Commerce’s Visioneering program – an arts alliance dedicated to identifying and cultivating local arts capital. While there are considerable civic funds dedicated to the arts in Wichita, private funds dedicated to the arts are also remarkable, such as the recent $5 million campaign to refurbish the Dunbar Theatre as a performance space for Black performing and cultural groups. Working in hand with private citizens and business community, the City of Wichita has nurtured a culture of active support for the arts to create a vibrant and enriched arts community.

Artist Award:
The Elaris Duo, Topeka, Kan.

Photo Credit: Steven and Larisa Elisha

A classical music duo comprised of the married musicians Drs. Steven (cello) and Larisa Elisha (violin), The Elaris Duo is based at Washburn University in Topeka, with both Steven and Larisa also serving as principal players with the Topeka Symphony. The duo has gained national and international renown through their various concert appearances and educational activities, including performances with the Taiwan National Arts Orchestra and master classes at the Taiwan National Arts University Institute. The Elaris Duo is currently signed to record under the MRS Classics label and were featured this past April in Fanfare magazine. Members of the Kansas Arts Commission’s Arts on Tour roster, they were recently chosen to represent the arts in Kansas for the Kansas – As Big as You Think campaign. The Elishas maintain a full teaching schedule for students at many levels from master classes to elementary school workshops.

Photo Credit: Dick and Beverly Hess

Arts Patron:
Dick and Beverly Hess, McPherson, Kan.

Dick and Beverly Hess have a long tradition of giving, both to the city of McPherson and to McPherson College. The Hess family’s roots are in oil production. Dick grew up in the business and developed his family gas and grocery business into an oil production enterprise. Throughout their lives, Dick and his family has been involved with music and the arts, leading them to support the arts as patrons and donors. The Hess’s underwrote the national PBS broadcast of the Bethany Oratorio Society’s Messiah Festival in Lindsborg; Dick serves on the Wichita Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Directors; they have given multiple donations to McPherson College, including an auditorium shell for concerts, a Steinway grand piano, and start-up funding for a graphic arts program. Dick also arranged a family gift to fund the construction of the Hess Fine Arts Center at McPherson College. Dick and Beverly’s giving extends to many areas in the community, including multiple pianos for Trinity Lutheran church,  a period piano given to the McPherson Museum, stained glass windows for the McPherson Public Library and underwriting for the Hutchinson Symphony Orchestra to perform in McPherson.

Arts Advocate:
Jay and Barbara Nelson, Manhattan, Kan.

Photo Credit: Jay and Barbara Nelson

Jay and Barbara Nelson are the owners of the Strecker-Nelson Gallery, a successful and regionally well-respected gallery featuring Kansas artists. Jay and Barbara are exceptionally active in the arts both within Manhattan and throughout the state. Jay serves on the board of multiple arts organizations such as Friends of the Beach Museum and the Manhattan Arts Center. He also lectures to young and emerging artists and arts professionals at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. Barbara serves on many arts and community organizations including the Manhattan Arts and Humanities Council and the KSU Costume and Textile Museum, the Friends of the McCain Auditorium, the Konza Prairie Quilters Guild, the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Downtown Manhattan Inc. Both Nelsons were recognized by the Kansas Art Educators Association in 2003 with the Arts Enhancers Award and as the KSU 2007 Outstanding Patrons. They extend their community involvement to events held at their gallery, offering it as host for a variety of visual arts events, jazz concerts and community fundraisers. In all their endeavors, they strive to bring attention to the arts with a focus on Kansas artists.

Arts in Education:
John Tibbetts, Lenexa, Kan.

Photo Credit: Matt Jacobson

John Tibbetts is an associate professor of Theatre and Film at the University of Kansas. He is also an author, broadcaster, artist and pianist.  He holds a PhD in Multi-Disciplinary Studies in Art History, Theatre, Photography and Film from the University of Kansas. As a broadcaster, Dr. Tibbetts hosts his own show in Kansas City, Mo., and has been a newscaster and commentator for CBS, Voice of America, National Public Radio and Kansas Public Radio. He produces classical music programming for KXTR-FM in Kansas City and written and illustrated over twelve books, 250 articles and several short stories. Dr. Tibbetts has been a regular contributor to any national magazines including The Christian Science Monitor and edited American Screen, the publication for the National Film Society. Most recently he has produced an educational radio series on Robert Schumann and the 17-part  Piano Portraits which are now part of the permanent collection of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Archives at Lincoln Center in New York. Despite his active production and publication activities, he maintains a direct and dedicated involvement with his students both in their education and developing careers, mentoring many students beyond academia into their professional life. 

Arts Organization:
Van Go Mobile Arts, Lawrence, Kan.

Photo Credit: Van Go Mobile Arts

Van Go Mobile Arts is an arts organization whose mission is to improve the lives of high needs youth using art as the vehicle for self expression, self confidence and hope for the future. It employs at-risk Douglas County youth ages 14 to 21 to create public works of art through a year-round program called JAMS (Jobs in the Arts Make Sense) which provides minimum wage and social services to youth. Van Go Mobile Arts is also a recipient of the Coming Up Taller Award, a national honor given through the National Endowment for the Arts and presented by First Lady Laura Bush. Click here to view Van Go JAMS Blog.