January 31, 2005

For the eighth consecutive year, Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors joined together to issue the 2005 National Awards for Public Leadership in the Arts to selected local and state officials and to a distinguished artist for their outstanding leadership in the arts. On January 18, during the Conference's 73rd Winter Meeting, awards were given to four arts advocates in recognition for their leadership and advancement of the arts and arts education within their community, and for their vision and leadership in providing heightened visibility to the value of the arts.

The winners were: National Award for Local Arts Leadership - Meridian, Mississippi Mayor John Robert Smith; Lifetime Achievement Award — Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; National Award for State Arts Leadership — Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; and Legendary Artist Award — Peter Yarrow.

Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz, Chair of the Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Committee moderated the awards presentations. Robert Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts thanked the mayors for their support of the arts and stated that the partnership between the arts organization and the mayors was the "most important partnership" that his organization has. Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran recognized the mayors for their leadership in supporting the arts even more so than the support given to the arts by the federal government.

Local Arts Leadership Award — Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith

Smith was recognized as an arts leader throughout not only his city but also his state. He has promoted city, county, state, and federal fundraising and public/private support for the Mississippi State University Riley Education and Performing Arts Center, a $31 million project to restore the Grand Opera House of Mississippi and develop an arts education and conference center in historic downtown Meridian. He was instrumental in the selection of Meridian's Bonita Lakes as the site of a $50 million-plus Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center. The mayor also promoted development and construction of a downtown Arts District parking garage to support MSU Riley Education and Performing Arts center and other downtown arts venues. Mayor Smith serves on the board of the Grand Theatre where he has taken leading roles in: A Christmas Carol, Camelot, and My Fair Lady.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley

Daley is one of the dominant arts leader throughout the country. He has placed a high importance on the partnership between private and public arts support since first elected to office in 1989. His influence in promoting the arts as a universal language crosses economic, social and cultural barriers, a role that he has accelerated since he served as president of the United States Conference of Mayors in 1996. For Daley, the arts are a personal crusade. When the Cultural Affairs Commission needed a home, he called for the restoration of a beautiful old library where now, in addition to offices, daily events open to the public are held in a rotating exhibition and performance center. His leadership in presenting the parade of cow sculptures led to scores of cities replicating the same concept across the country, featuring everything from pandas to pelicans. Along with his wife, Maggie, the mayor established the "Gallery 37" program, which has been recognized nationally as one of the leading arts education programs in the country.

Most recently, Daley led the creation of Millennium Park, a $450-million cultural mega-project astride Michigan Avenue. First planned in 1997 as a way to create new parkland in Grant Park and transform an eye sore of railroad tracks and parking lots, it has evolved into one of the most significant millennium projects in the world. Located in downtown Chicago, the 24.5-acre Millennium Park is an unprecedented cultural playground that blossomed last summer featuring world-class art, music, architecture and landscape design, where you can experience everything from interactive public art and ice skating to al fresco dining and free classical music presentations. Millennium Park is widely perceived as representing the long-awaited arrival of a critical cultural mass in the heart of Chicago. Chicago now has new, user-friendly fountains, sculptures and skating rinks where kids and tourists can frolic day and night for free. Daley previously received the Local Arts Leadership Award from Americans for the Arts and the Conference of Mayors in 1997 for his outstanding work and support for the arts in the city of Chicago.

frolic day and night for free. Daley previously received the Local Arts Leadership Award from Americans for the Arts and the Conference of Mayors in 1997 for his outstanding work and support for the arts in the city of Chicago.

State Arts Leadership Award — Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

Huckabee is not only a leader in the arts in his state, but has proven a personal interest for the arts as a member of a local rock band. As recently appointed chair of the Education Commission of the States (ECS), he took a dramatic step by raising arts education to the forefront of his agenda. He also launched a first-ever national initiative, "The Arts: A Lifetime of Learning" — which will be the centerpiece of his two year leadership term as Chair of ECS. Huckabee passed a bill that requires every public elementary school in the state to provide at least 40 minutes of instruction in music or visual art every week. Beginning in June 2005, instruction increases to one hour a week for elementary schools and participating teachers must be certified to teach art and music. Because of his love of music, the Governor formed a rock band with some of his staff members to perform at an office party. Due to their success, they were asked to play for an event at his political party's national convention last year and during the Presidential Inaugural activities in January 2005 in Washington (DC).

party. Due to their success, they were asked to play for an event at his political party's national convention last year and during the Presidential Inaugural activities in January 2005 in Washington (DC).

Legendary Artist Leadership Award — Peter Yarrow

Yarrow is not only a recipient of numerous Grammys, an Emmy nominee, a folk artist and celebrity, but should also be recognized for utilizing his stardom to conduct effective public service and help elevate the arts in America. One of the original members of the group, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Yarrow is nominated for this award due to his strong civic work and commitment to advancing the arts. In 1999, he attended the Americans for the Arts Advocacy Day and while in Washington, took the opportunity to hold a concert on the Capital steps to help save the NEA.

Over the years, many other issues have moved Yarrow to commit his time and talent: equal rights, peace, the environment, gender equality, homelessness, hospice care and education. According to Yarrow's newest project, the song, "Don't Laugh at Me," when properly positioned in a classroom-based character education, social/emotional learning program, can be used as an anthem for the growing movement to build safer and more respectful school environments for children.

In performing two songs for the mayors, "Don't Laugh at Me" and "This Land is Your Land", Peter Yarrow both entertained the mayors as well as showed how music can help deliver a powerful message.