By Tom McClimon and Jay Dick, Americans for the Arts
June 18, 2007

For the tenth consecutive year, Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors will present the 2007 National Awards for Public Leadership in the Arts to a distinguished group of local and state elected officials, and artists for their outstanding arts advocacy efforts. These awards will be presented June 24 at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Conference of Mayors.

The 2007 winners are: 1) National Award for Local Arts Leadership – Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz; 2) National Award for State Arts Leadership – Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano; 3) National Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts – The Actors Fund; 4) National Artist Advocate Award – Randy Jackson; and 5) National Arts Leadership Award – Jimmy Smits.

In the early part of his administration, Diaz established the Mayor’s Office of Film & Cultural Affairs. Diaz proposed that the mission of this office serve as the primary steward of a comprehensive, inclusive and pro-active cultural agenda for Miami, as well as to establish Miami as a leading “film friendly” city. Diaz has budgeted more than $300,000 annually for the support of signature events and has additionally budgeted a half million dollars for distribution each year to cultural organizations and events through a grant process. Diaz played a central role in the creation and development of Museum Park, a previously neglected 29-acre city waterfront area. It will now be home to two major museums and public gardens. Diaz is a past chairman of the Conference of Mayors Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Standing Committee.

Wasting no time during her inaugural year as Governor, Napolitano established herself as a strong supporter of the arts. During her first budget cycle, facing a legislature controlled by the opposite party, she issued three politically risky line item vetoes that literally saved public funding for the arts at the state level. Napolitano, herself a high school musician and a lifelong opera fan, supports the arts not only in words and policy, but also as an avid arts goer. She hosts the Governor’s Arts Awards Dinner, which celebrates individuals, organizations, and corporations for their outstanding contributions to the arts in the state.

For 125 years, The Actors Fund has supported the rich culture of arts in America by providing a wide range of essential human services to entertainment and performing arts professionals across the country. Directly serving more than 8,000 arts professionals, The Fund offers social services programs, health services, employment and training, emergency financial assistance, health insurance counseling, and skilled nursing and assisted living care. The Fund also owns assisted living and skilled nursing care facilities, as well as residences for low-income professionals, retirees, and people living with HIV/AIDS. And now, through its Young Performers Programs, The Actors Fund is working to support families as they face those issues and challenges related to ensuring their children in the industry are having healthy and positive experiences.

A twenty-year music industry veteran and Grammy Award-winning producer, Jackson started out at the age of 13 playing bass guitar and got his big break when he joined the critically acclaimed band Journey. Jackson recently completed his sixth season as America’s favorite judge on Fox’s record-breaking show, American Idol. Jackson has also been a longtime supporter of music education programs across America. Most recently, he served as one of the music industry’s ambassadors, helping to secure $500 million of new funds for arts education in California’s public schools.

Jackson has also assisted in worldwide relief efforts through the multimillion dollar fundraiser Idol Gives Back. Jackson traveled back to his home state of Louisiana, which was devastated by the hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. Some of these funds will help rebuild arts programs in New Orleans schools.

Whether he is playing a congressman and president-elect on the West Wing, a senator in Star Wars, a detective in NYPD Blue, or a lawyer on LA Law, Smits continues to demonstrate that he is an outstanding and accomplished actor and producer. He has won numerous awards, including an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama services and a Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a TV'series drama. Smits is a co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts that has raised more than $850,000 in scholarship money for Latino students and is dedicated to advancing the presence of Latinos in the media, telecommunications, and entertainment industries.

Smits is an inaugural member of the United States Artist’s Creative Council, which is comprised of leading American artists in all disciplines who are committed to United States Artists mission to “nurture, support and strengthen the work of America’s finest living artists.”