Thank you to all who attended and supported the 25th Orange County Arts Awards!
The Annual OC Arts Awards is a benefit evening that recognizes & celebrates the arts organizations, artists, and arts patrons in the OC community whose significant contributions during the past year, or over the course of a lifetime, have notably impacted the arts in Orange County. This celebratory event brings together the entire arts community for an uplifting evening that includes an honoree and sponsor reception and dinner, an awards ceremony and an after-party for all guests.
Our 2025 Honorees
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Artist
JORG DUBIN
Jorg has been an integral figure in Orange County’s artistic landscape for over five decades, maintaining a prolific career as a painter, sculptor, and mentor, and contributing to its cultural fabric through his multidisciplinary practice and dedication to fostering emerging talent. His artistic oeuvre involves multiple media from painting, ceramics, and site-specific sculpture, as well as film production design. Although many of his paintings contain social, political, or environmental content, he also created a series of paintings showing the transition of the former El Toro Marine Air Station after its closing and a September 11th site specific memorial, "Semper Memento" for the city of Laguna Beach. A more recent sculpture, the sixty-foot high “Mercury Falling,” can be found on the corner of the Skyloft apartment complex at the intersection of Main and Jamboree in the city of Irvine. Jorg Dubin was nominated by the Honarkar Foundation and by Sam Goldstein.
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Arts Patron
JARED MATHIS and the MOULTON FAMILY
Jared Mathis embodies the very essence of this award - demonstrating extraordinary commitment to the arts through generous financial support, dedicated leadership, and a visionary approach to preserving and advancing cultural institutions in Orange County. As CEO of Moulton Company, Jared is carrying on his family legacy of generosity and leadership, exemplified by his great grandmother Nellie Gail Moulton, an artist and arts patron, elevating Orange County’s cultural landscape in immeasurable ways. Jared Mathis was nominated by Laguna Art Museum, Laguna College of Art + Design, Laguna Playhouse, and Moulton Museum.
Special Recognition
RICHARD STEIN
Over the course of almost 40 years, Rick has been a leading figure in the Orange County arts community. He transformed the Laguna Playhouse into a major resident professional theatre over the course of more than 17 years as its Executive Director, where he produced more than 100 plays, directing several of them, including notable premieres. Afterwards, he led Arts Orange County as its President & CEO for nearly 17 years, until his retirement on June 30, 2025. Under his guidance, ArtsOC has become a trailblazer among nonprofit arts councils worldwide, augmenting its traditional arts agency programs and services with consulting services in the areas of cultural planning and public art management. These strengthened ArtsOC’s ability to serve as a vigorous advocate for the arts and arts education, resulting in a significant increase in resources for artists and arts organizations in our community. Additionally, while serving 12 years on the Board of California Arts Advocate, including three as President, Rick achieved major successes in restoring and increasing funding for the arts statewide.
Achievement Award – Outstanding Artist
BIN HE
Bin He is a highly respected and accomplished musician, composer, conductor, educator, and cultural ambassador. Born in China, he began his musical training at a young age and later attended the China Conservatory of Music, where he honed his skills and developed his unique style. After graduating, he began performing professionally and quickly gained recognition for his talent, performing in concerts and festivals around the world. Bin He has made significant contributions to the South Coast Chinese Orchestra, where he serves as conductor. The orchestra, established in 2017, is the only full Chinese orchestra in Orange County, California. His original musical "Legends" was presented by the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in October 2024, bringing to life the stories of Chinese folklore's most beloved characters: Mulan, Nezha, and the Monkey King. Bin He was nominated by Cheer Pan, Executive Director of Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance.
Achievement Award – Outstanding Arts Organization
ORANGE COUNTY CHILDREN’S THERAPEUTIC ARTS CENTER
For 25 years, OCCTAC has stood as a beacon of hope and empowerment within our community, committed to inclusivity and providing access to services for families facing physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional challenges. Under the leadership of its visionary founder, Dr. Ana Jimenez Hami, OCCTAC combines the arts, academics, and creative therapies to empower and transform lives. The organization’s commitment to arts accessibility ensures that every child, regardless of ability or background, has the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the arts. In addition, the bilingual/bicultural staff leverages expertise and experience to meet the unique needs of the community at OCCTAC’s Santa Ana facility. Nominated by Marleena Barber, Executive Director of Orange County Arts and Disability.
Achievement Award – Outstanding Contribution to the Built Environment
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON – VISUAL ARTS COMPLEX
The visual arts complex modernization project, completed in 2024, includes two new buildings, major renovations to existing buildings and the addition of state-of-the-art creative spaces to train the next generation of artists and innovators. The complex boasts more than 85,000 square feet of new and renovated space, including classrooms for digital art concentrations; graduate art studios; upgraded lecture halls; new faculty offices; indoor and outdoor seating; and top-of-the-line facilities such as a green screen/motion capture room, a photography wing, a digital fabrication lab, and a drawing and painting room.
Achievement Award – Emerging Arts Leader
GENEVIEVE WILLIAMS
As the Director and Acting Curator of The Honarkar Foundation, a Laguna Beach art gallery, Genevieve has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering artistic excellence, community engagement, and accessibility within the arts, presenting ambitious, museum- quality exhibitions that highlight both historical and contemporary artists. Previously, she joined Peter Blake Gallery in 2015 and served as Director until 2022, playing a key role in advancing that esteemed gallery’s mission and expanding its influence, both locally and internationally, and executing over 80 solo and group exhibitions. Nominated by Peter Blake, owner of Peter Blake Gallery and 2013 Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award Honoree, by Goran Matijasevic, University of California, Irvine Chief Executive Roundtable, and by Fiona Shen, Director of The Escalette Permanent Art Collection at Chapman University, Ed Steinfeld of Voice of Laguna Radio, Gerard Basil Stripling of Gerard Basil Studio.
Enjoy these pictures from the Festivities!
Click on image to view full-size. All pictures by Tony Lattimore Photography.
Guests mingle at the pre-show VIP Reception
Honorees for the 2025 OC Arts Awards. From L - Ana Jimenez-Hami (representing OCCTAC,) Dean Arnold Holland, Jared Mathis of the Moulton family, Richard Stein, Bin He, Jorg Dubin, and Arts Orange County President/CEO Patrick Brien
(from L) Nick Anas, Katrina Foley, Vice Chair, OC Board of Supervisors; Roger Clarke, Tiffany Brooks, Patrick Brien, Cheer Pan, Tony Hwang, Holly Choi
(from L) Robert Klein, Alison Stein, Rick Stein, Janet Ray, Walkie Ray, Jorg Dubin, Debbie Forsyth, Loni Klein
(from L) Mary Lyons, Phil Lyons, Barbara Kingsbury, Patricia Dreyfus, Nancy Lyons, Bobbi Purcell
(from L) Cheri Smetanka, Rick Smetanka, Erika Pederson, Alireza Mohammadi, Paula Tomei, Matthew Wadlinger, Hogi Kurniawan, Sean O'Harrow
(clockwise from front L) Mark Saville, Lisa Hale, Steven Brittan, Julie Perlin Lee, Scott Barnes, Kate Mathis, Jared Mathis, Erin Simon, Elisabeth Ida Lange, Pamela Banks
(from L) Marleena Barber, Dr. Stefan Bean, OCDE Guest, Scott Fitzpatrick, OCDE Guest, Trish Walsh
(from L) Dan Riley, Gabby Castenada, Anne Hogan, Mary Platt, Mark Hilbert, Eliot Zbylut
(from L) John Forsyte, Ling Zhang, Charlie Zhang, Lynn Freeman, Doug Freeman, Sherry Opacic, Ralph Opacic
(clockwise from front L) John Evans, Warren Felson, Lucy Sun, Dean Tiffany Ana Lopez, Toni Berlinger, Cecilia Goodman, James Irvine Swinden, Richard Aste, Sarah Strozza, Richard Ruszat
(clockwise from L) Diana Farrell, Maria Hall-Brown, Michelle Merker, Bob Davis, Susan Hori, Limor Timer, Ellen Breitman
(clockwise from L) Genevieve Williams, Daniel Colimar, Judith Posnikoff, Dawn Reese, Chris Ahola, Karen Ahola, Dan Faltz
(from L) Martha Rivera, Dr. Anoosh Hami, Ana Jimenez-Hami, Dean Arnold Holland, Dominic Mumolo, Teresa Saldivar, Monica Guillena, Socorro Vasquez
(from L) Jeyna Gonzalez, Chris Adriance, Elizabeth Sun, Michelle Brouwer, Debora Wondercheck, Michael Lawler, Gary Wondercheck, Craig Springer
(clockwise from Front L) Yulan Chang, Jiangli Lu, May Chang, William Chang, Bin He, Rose Cheung, Wendi Chen, Beatrice Tseng, Janie Tsao, Dr. Ding-Jo Currie
Musicians from the South Coast Chinese Orchestra perform an excerpt from Honoree Bin He's composition "Legends"
Katherine Lingle (L) and Gialan Tonthat perform the original work "Kindling," choreographed by Charlotte Griffin
Sisters Hannah and Ruby Huntington perform "I Will Never Leave You" from the musical "Side Show"
Guests enjoy the after-party with music, bites, and cocktails!
Past Arts Awards Honorees
Since 2000, we've honored an incredible array of organizations and individuals who have had a legacy-level impact on the artistic and cultural landscape of Orange County
We Gratefully Acknowledge Our Arts Awards Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors whose support makes this celebration possible
(*sponsorship info current as of July 28, 2025)
VIP Reception Sponsor
Phil & Mary Lyons
After-Party Sponsors
Charlie & Ling Zhang
Maya Angelou Circle
Frida Kahlo Circle
Isamu Noguchi Circle
Crevier Family Foundation
Walkie and Janet Ray
Steele Fund of Orange County Community Foundation
Socorro and Ernesto Vasquez
August Wilson Circle
Wylie Aitken
Pamela Banks
Ellen Breitman
Dan Faltz
Lisa Hale
Bin He
Susan K. Hori
Robert and Lori Klein
Judith Posnikoff
Rick & Alison Stein
James Luna Circle
Arts and Learning Conservatory
Anaheim Ballet
Backhausdance
Chris Barton
Mashan Behnood
Bowers Museum
California State University, Fullerton, College of the Arts
Chapman University, College of Performing Arts
City of Costa Mesa
William Fried Paul & Lori Gillette
HGA Architects
Huntington Beach Art Center Foundation
Toni Kellenberg
Laguna Arts Museum
Laguna College Art + Design
Laguna Playhouse
Louis Longi
Molly Lynch & Alan Andrews
Jared Mathis
Cathy Michaels
Harish Murthy and Ramya Harishankar
Opera Laguna
Orange County Arts & Disability
Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center
Orange County Musicians Union
Orange County School of the Arts
Relámpago Del Cielo Grupo Folklórico
Sam Robertson
Pacific Symphony
Miriam Smith
South Coast Repertory
SOKA University
Christopher Trela
UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts
UC Irvine Langson Institute and Museum of Art
The Frida Cinema
Barbara Van Dine
Genevieve Williams
Statuette Sponsors
Leona Aronoff Sadacca — In honor of Rick Stein
Festival Ballet Theatre — In honor of Rick Stein
Margaret Gates — In honor of Helena Modjeska
Susan Hori — In honor of Rick Stein
Barbara & Greg MacGillivray
Tom Rogers and Sally Anderson — In honor of Rick Stein
Other Gifts
Bonnie Brittain Hall and William Hall
Ryan Brown
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
City of Dana Point
City of Irvine
Sophie and Larry Cripe
Dance 4 Joy Ministries
Robin Flynn - In Honor of Jared Mathis
Janet Green
Cynthia Holmes
Rena Kamariotakis
Erika Miller
Pacific Chorale