Save the Date! The 26th OC Arts Awards are Coming Tuesday, Sept 29, 2026
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.
Announcing Our 2026 Honorees!
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Artist
ANN PHONG
Born in Saigon, Vietnam and now residing in Southern California, Phong has participated in over 200 solo and group exhibitions, spanning from local galleries and museums throughout the United States to Seoul and Tokyo. In 2025, she received the prestigious Los Angeles Lakers’ In The Paint grant. Her art transcends traditional boundaries. In each canvas, she weaves a poetic narrative of our shared journey through life, marred by the detritus of our existence. Her work is a symphony of colors and brushstrokes that evoke motion, harmoniously intertwined with an array of found objects meticulously positioned. Phong also served as board president of the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) from 2009-2018.
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Arts Patron
JANET and WALKIE RAY
Janet and Walkie Ray have been a tremendous force behind the success of a number of Orange County philanthropic initiatives. They were instrumental in the strategic planning, fundraising and construction of the Discovery Science Center, and recently chaired the capital campaign for the $17 million expansion of Sherman Library and Gardens. Individually and jointly, the Rays have played integral roles in the development of Irvine’s Great Park. They have also been involved with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Orange County High School of the Arts, and Arts Orange County, with Janet having chaired the Arts Awards on several occasions.
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Artistic Visionary
ELI SIMON
Eli Simon is the founding Artistic Director of New Swan Shakespeare Festival, a professional summer theater that performs on the campus of UC Irvine with support from the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the Department of Drama, the Office of Research and the campus community. A Chancellor’s Professor of Acting in Drama, this marks his 38th year at UC Irvine. Simon is the author of three books: The Art of Clowning, Masking Unmasked and Power Speech. He has directed more than 100 productions at Shakespeare festivals, regional theaters and international venues across the United States and abroad, including in Romania, Italy and Korea.
Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award – Special Award
SEGERSTROM CENTER for the ARTS
The Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, originally the Orange County Performing Arts Center, is celebrating two big anniversaries…its 40th year for the 3,000-seat Segerstrom Hall and 20th year for the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Renamed in 2011 to honor the family, it has grown into a major campus, now including the Samueli Theater and Argyros Plaza. The vision of the Center’s founders became reality when the Orange County Performing Arts Center opened on September 29, 1986 with a concert in its new opera house-style Segerstrom Hall. Performances by Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society, and Pacific Chorale, as well as celebrated international ballet companies, national tours of Broadway musicals, and much more fill the Center throughout the year. The Center also has an education department dedicated to bringing young people to the new campus for live, professional performances and to providing arts programs to schools throughout the county.
Achievement Award – Outstanding Arts Organization
ORANGE COUNTY ARTS and DISABILITY
Orange County Arts and Disability’s mission is to provide arts education and cultural opportunities by, with and for people with disabilities, making the arts accessible to people of all abilities. By creating an accessible platform that empowers individuals with disabilities to explore their creativity, they have significantly enriched the cultural landscape of the Orange County community, and proved that artistic expression has no limits. Formerly known as Very Special Arts Orange County, the organization is celebrating its 50th year producing the annual countywide arts and disability festival held at MainPlace Mall in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education.
Achievement Award – Outstanding Artist
ALICIA ROJAS
Alicia Rojas is a Colombian interdisciplinary artist based in Santa Ana. Her work centers immigrant rights, anti-gentrification, equity, and ecological justice, using collaboration and storytelling to explore connections between land, place, people, and nature. Rojas is the Co-founder and Director of the Santa Ana Community Artist(a) Coalition, advancing community-led public art. Her work has been supported by the Andy Warhol Foundation, National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, and the City of Santa Ana, among others. She has exhibited internationally, including at ARTBO in Bogotá, and completed a residency at Grand Central Art Center. Her project Las Poderosas will be archived by the Library of Congress as part of the American Heroes of the Pandemic collection.
Achievement Award – Emerging Artist
BORÓKA NAGY
Boróka Nagy is an award-winning choreographer, dancer and multimedia artist. She earned her BFA at Alvin Ailey/Fordham in NYC, and her MFA at University of California, Irvine. Nagy has performed at venues including New York City Center and the Apollo Theatre and continues to perform internationally in site-specific and concert stage works. Her choreography has been presented worldwide, exploring the human experience through movement, interactive performance, and collaborative art with her company Re:born Dance Interactive. Nagy directs The Academy of Dance in Orange County and founded Reborn Arts, a nonprofit advancing community engagement and peace through dance and shared movement experiences.
Enjoy these pictures from the 2025 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