Orange County Arts Awards

Our annual celebration of the legacies and achievements of the brightest stars in our arts and culture community

24th OC ARTS AWARDS – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

Samueli Theater, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa

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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 2024 Honorees

2024 SPECIAL RECOGNITION

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Carl St.Clair

About
In the 2024-25 season, Carl St.Clair celebrates his remarkable 35th year guiding Pacific Symphony as Music Director. St.Clair stands as the longest-tenured American-born music director of a major American orchestra, a testament to his enduring commitment and deep connection to both musicians and community. Under his leadership, Pacific Symphony has evolved into an internationally acclaimed ensemble, touring globally and earning acclaim for its dedication to accessibility and music education. As St.Clair prepares for his transition to a Music Director Laureate role, Arts Orange County and the entire Orange County arts community unite in honoring his extraordinary legacy.

2024 HELENA MODJESKA CULTURAL LEGACY AWARD HONOREES

VISIONARY ARTIST

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Nancy Lee Ruyter

About
Nancy Lee Ruyter, age 90, is a dance historian, teacher, and choreographer who retired as a Professor of Dance at the University of California, Irvine at the end of June 2014, after 32 years there. Her practical training in dance includes ballet, modern, Spanish, East Indian, Balkan, and other world dance forms. She has generously supported the preservation, management, growth, and research use of the UCI libraries’ esteemed Dance Collection.

VISIONARY CORPORATE ARTS PATRON

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Haskell & White

About
For 35 years, the home-grown Orange County firm of Haskell & White has provided trusted business advisory services that have extended beyond the traditional auditor or accountant role. The firm has enthusiastically supported many of Orange County’s arts organizations (as well as other non-profits), through generous charitable contributions and pro-bono services.

2024 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

OUTSTANDING ARTS ORGANIZATION

OC Music and Dance Logo

Orange County Music and Dance

About
In the seven years of its existence, Orange County Music and Dance has evolved from a dream to provide children, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances, the opportunity to study and perform music and dance. Now recognized as one of Orange County’s premier performing arts schools, the City of Irvine invited OCMD to move to the Great Park, and is providing the school 2.2 acres upon which to build an 85,000 square foot campus.

EMERGING ARTS LEADER

Virginia Arce - Copy

Virginia Arce

About
As exhibitions program coordinator for the city of Irvine, she organizes shows and events at the Irvine Fine Arts Center. Born in Mexico City and raised in Glendale, Arce spotlights emerging and midcareer Southern California artists, striving for a balance of contemporary, high-concept work that is nevertheless approachable to a general audience.

EMERGING ARTIST

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Quyên Nguyen-Le

Filmmaker
About
Quyên Nguyen-Le is a queer Vietnamese filmmaker born in California to refugee parents. Quyên's film work - spanning scripted, experimental and documentary formats - focuses on the ways histories are deeply felt in the quotidian everyday. In 2023, Quyên was awarded a California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship as Emerging Artist.

And Our Hosts For the Evening...

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Richard Stein

President & CEO, Arts Orange County

Richard Stein, President and CEO

During more than 14 years under Rick’s leadership, Arts Orange County has addressed the needs of the arts and culture community in Orange County, California by becoming a trailblazer among nonprofit arts councils worldwide-- augmenting traditional arts agency programs and services with its unique role as the community’s go-to arts consultant to government, education and nonprofit organizations. This has helped enable Arts Orange County to become a leading advocate for the arts and arts education on the local, state and national level.

Prior to his appointment at Arts Orange County in August, 2008, Rick transformed the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach into a major resident professional theatre over the course of more than 17 years as its Executive Director, growing it from an annual budget of $700,000 to $7 million, and producing more than 100 plays, including two national touring productions. There he also directed many notable productions, including several premieres.

Rick first came to Orange County in 1987 to serve as Managing Director of the Grove Shakespeare Festival in Garden Grove following a five-year stint as Director of Lincoln Theater at the University of Hartford (Connecticut), and holding management positions in two major symphony orchestras before that. Rick holds degrees in English from Columbia and Syracuse Universities and returned to Columbia for post-graduate study in drama on a National Endowment for the Humanities summer fellowship. He was sent to Korea on a cultural exchange by the International Theatre Institute-US, served on the executive committee of the League of Resident Theatres, and was a contributing writer to AMERICAN THEATRE magazine.

Rick is a past Chair of the John Wayne Airport Arts Commission (appointed by Orange County Supervisor Harriet Weider), past President of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals-Orange County Chapter, and past co-Chair (twice) of National Philanthropy Day-Orange County. From 2009 to 2022, he served on the board of Californians for the Arts/California Arts Advocates, a statewide organization promoting the interests of the arts community, including three years as its President.

He has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Irvine and California State University, Fullerton, and was a commencement keynote speaker at the Laguna College of Art and Design. He has served as a panelist or site visitor for the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Western States Arts Federation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Riverside Arts Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, Louisville Fund for the Arts, City of Pasadena, and the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, for which he also produced its State Arts Awards.

Although his career has largely been in the theatre, Rick’s first post after finishing graduate school was as Executive Director of a local arts agency, Oswego County Council on the Arts, located in Fulton, New York. Also, the theatre company he cofounded in 1977, Contemporary Theatre of Syracuse, continues operation today as The Red House, a highly successful producer of multi-disciplinary arts. He is a 33 year resident of San Juan Capistrano with his wife, Alison, an artist.

About
Cheer_Pan_Awards_Page

Cheer Pan

Executive Director, Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance (PACDA)

Cheer Pan

Cheer Pan is Executive Director of the Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance (PACDA), which was established to champion Asian dance forms. One of its primary programs is an international competition of Asian dance companies, both community- and university-based, held annually with the awards presentation at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Cheer is also a member of the Board of Directors of Arts Orange County.

About
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We Gratefully Acknowledge Our Arts Awards Sponsors

We gratefully acknowledge our early sponsors whose support makes this celebration possible. Sponsorship opportunities are now available!

Learn More

VIP Reception Sponsor

Phil & Mary Lyons

After-Party Sponsors

Charlie & Ling Zhang

Frida Kahlo Circle

August Wilson Circle

Tom Rogers & Sally Anderson
Linda & Tod White

 

James Luna Circle

 

Statuette Sponsors

Tim Shaw

 

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

(Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Allen Adham, Michael Morhaime, and Frank Pearce (Artistic Visionary, 2010)
Wylie & Bette Aitken (Arts Patrons, 2015)
John Alexander (Artistic Visionary, 2003)
Jonelle Allen (Artist, 2021)
Roger Armstrong (Artist, 2003)
Bob Bassett (Artistic Visionary, 2006)
Martin Benson & David Emmes (Artistic Visionary, 2000)
Peter Blake (Artistic Visionary, 2013)
Rex Brandt (Artist, 2000)
Beth Burns (Artistic Visionary, 2004)
Mark Chamberlain (Artistic Visionary, 2014)
Arlene Cheng (Community Visionary, 2005)
Dean Corey (Artistic Visionary, 2011)
Sophie and Larry Cripe (Arts Patrons, 2022)
Dick Dale (Artist, 2010)
Claudia de la Cruz (Visionary Artist, 2023)
Tony DeLap (Artist, 2000)
Richard Doyle (Artist, 2009)
John Forsyte (Arts Visionary, 2016)
Robert Garfias (Artistic Visionary, 2022)
Rod Gilfry (Artist, 2011)
William Gillespie (Community Visionary, 2006)
Marie Gray (Artistic Visionary, 2009)
William Hall (Artist, 2005)
Don Ed Hardy (Artist, 2014)
Ramya Harishankar (Artist, 2007)
Mark and Janet Hilbert (Art Collectors, 2018)
Hans & Valerie Imhof (Patron, 2014)
Chuck Jones (Artist, 2001)
Damien and Yvonne Jordan (Arts Philanthropists, 2016)
Peter Keller (Artistic Visionary, 2013)
Dorothy & Donald Kennedy (Community Visionary, 2004)
Cherie Kerr (Artistic Visionary, 2019)
John Koshak (Artistic Visionary, 2008)
Don Laffoon & Victoria Bryan (Artistic Visionary, 2001)
Laguna Art Museum (Arts Organization, 2018)
Laguna Playhouse (Arts Organization, 2021)
Hal Landon Jr. (Artist, 2009)
James Luna (Artist, 2017)
Molly Lynch (Arts Visionary, 2017)
Phil & Mary Lyons (Community Visionary, 2008)
Greg MacGillvray (Artist, 2008)
Jerry Mandel (Visionary Arts Leader, 2019)
Eric Marienthal (Artist, 2010)
Mike McGee (Arts Visionary, 2016)
Donald McKayle (Artist, 2002)
Mission San Juan Capistrano (Community Visionary, 2011)
Judith O’Dea Morr (Artistic Visionary, 2002)
Marcelina Arroues Mulville (Community Visionary, 2000)
Marybelle & S. Paul Musco (Arts Philanthropist, 2013)
Mary Muth (Community Visionary, 2001)
Founders of the Newport Harbor Art Museum - Joan Irving Brandt, Thelma Chastain, Em Crary, Dorothe Curtis, Kay Farwell, Allene Hays, Judy Hurndall, Gloria Irvine, Jane Lawson, Betty Mickle, Flo Stoddard, Dottie Ahmanson Sullivan, and Betty Winckler (Community Visionary, 2000)
Tom & Marilyn Nielsen (Community Visionary, 2003)
Dwight Richard Odle (Artist, 2006)
Ralph Opacic (Artistic Visionary, 2007)
Orange County Community Foundation (Community Visionary, 2010)
Orange County Museum of Art (Longtime Southern California leader in presenting and preserving the art of our time, 2022)
Orange County Musicians Union Local 7, American Federation of Musicians (Visionary Arts Organization, 2023)
Douglas C. Rankin (Artistic Visionary, 2012)
Elaine Redfield (Community Visionary, 2000)
Relámpago del Cielo (Arts Organization, 2015)
Cathy Rigby (Artist, 2015)
Salwa Rizkalla (Artistic Visionary, 2014)
William & Barbara Roberts (Community Visionary, 2012)
Carol Saindon (Artist, 2018)
Jerry Samuelson (Community Visionary, 2009)
Floss Schumacher (Community Visionary, 2000)
Henry Segerstrom (Community Visionary, 2000)
Helen & Edward Shanbrom (Community Visionary, 2004)
Gordon Shaw (Community Visionary, 2005)
Joan Irvine Smith (Community Visionary, 2007)
Carl St.Clair (Artistic Visionary, 2009)
John & Elizabeth Stahr (Community Visionary, 2002)
The Harry & Grace Steele Foundation (Community Visionary, 2001)
Beulah Strickler (Community Visionary, 2013)
Tom Titus (Arts Journalist, 2021)
Paula Tomei (Community Visionary, 2018)
Elizabeth Turk (Artist, 2012)
Ernesto and Socorro Vasquez (Visionary Arts Patrons, 2019)
Carol Wilken (Community Visionary, 2010)
Jane Fujishige Yada (Visionary Arts Patron, 2023)
David Young (Community Visionary, 2004)
James Young (Artist, 2005)
Charlie & Ling Zhang (Arts Philanthropists, 2017)
Gloria Zigner (Community Visionary, 2012)

(Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Roberta & Howard Ahmanson (Patron, 2010)
John Alexander (Artist, 2000)
The All-American Boys Chorus (Arts Organization, 2011)
Anaheim Ballet (Organization, 2008)
Darrel Anderson (Volunteer, 2003)
Marsha Anderson (Volunteer, 2008)
Art & Creativity for Healing (Educator, 2003)
Arts & Learning Conservatory (Organization, 2014)
Assistance League of Irvine (Volunteer, 2007)
Backhausdance (Organization, 2012)
Ballet Pacifica (Organization, 2001, 2000)
Donald & Joan Beall (Patron, 2001)
Robert Becker (Artist, 2009)
Phyllis Berenbeim (Educator, 2000)
Suki Berg (Artist, 2008)
The Boeing Company (Patron, 2006)
Troy Botello (Educator, 2002)
Bowers Museum of Cultural Art (Organization, 2007, 2001)
City of Brea (Patron, 2008)
Brea, Blackstone 2017 (Outstanding Contribution to the Built Environment, 2018)
Brethren Christian Junior & Senior High School (Arts Organization, 2011)
Laurie Brown (Artist, 2002)
Austin Buffum (Educator, 2006)
Jerry Burchfield (Artist, 2001)
California State University, Fullerton Performing Arts Center (Built Environment, 2006)
William Camarago (Emerging Artist/Arts Leader, 2022)
Capistrano Unified School District (Educator, 2003)
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, San Clemente (Arts Organization, 2017)
Beverly Chaffee (Educator, 2002)
The Chance Theater (Organization, 2009, 2004)
Child Creativity Lab (Arts Organization, 2023)
Children’s Museum at La Habra (Educator, 2001)
Joshua Colover (Artist, 2004)
Vesta Curry (Volunteer, 2002)
John & Sandy Daniels (Patron, 2002)
James Dinh (Artist/Arts Leader, 2019)
Jane & Jim Driscoll (Patron, 2008)
Leslie Feibleman (Volunteer, 2006)
Eliot Feld/Ballet Tech (Artist, 2000)
Festival Ballet Theatre (Organization, 2002)
Festival of Arts Laguna Beach (Organization, 2008)
FLIGHT at Tustin Legacy Murals (Public Art, 2021)
Paul Folino (Patron, 2003)
Robin Follman (Artist, 2008)
Robert Frelly (Artist, 2011)
JoAnn Fuerbringer (Educator, 2004)
Fullerton Museum Center (Organization, 2003)
Fullerton School District Foundation For the Arts (Volunteer, 2000)
Fulton Middle School (Educator, 2000)
Sarah Rafael Garcia (Emerging Arts Leader, 2018)
Garden Grove Unified School District (Educator, 2000)
Michael & Eleanor Gordon (Patron, 2005)
Grand Central Art Center (Organization, 2019, 2000)
Guilds of the Orange County Performing Arts Center (Volunteer, 2005)
Ramya Harishankar (Artist, 2003)
Kathleen Harris (Educator, 2005)
Martin Hubbard (Volunteer, 2001)
Huntington Beach Art Center (Organization, 2006)
Irvine Barclay Theatre (Organization, 2006, 2002)
Irvine Unified School District (Educator, 2008)
Janice Johnson (Volunteer, 2004)
Richard Kaufman (Artist, 2006)
Raymond Kobler (Artist, 2003)
Laguna Art Museum (Organization, 2002)
City of Laguna Beach (Patron, 2002)
Laguna College of Art & Design (Organization, 2013)
Laguna Dance Festival (Organization, 2015)
Laguna Playhouse (Organization, 2008, 2000)
Timothy Landauer (Artist, 2005)
Jan Landstrom (Volunteer, 2007)
The Legacy Project (Artist, 2007)
Chantrell M. Lewis (Emerging Artist/Arts Leader, 2023)
Phil & Mary Lyons (Patron, 2000)
Lyric Opera of Orange County (Emerging Arts Organization, 2022)
Madison Elementary School (Educator, 2003)
Jim & Suzanne Mellor (Patron, 2006)
Yevgeniya Mikhailik (Emerging Artist, 2016)
Todd Miller (Artist, 2010)
Mission Viejo High School (Educator, 2001)
Allen Moon (Impresario, 2016)
The Muckenthaler Cultural Center (Organization, 2010)
Paul & Marybelle Musco (Patron, 2006)
MUZEO (Built Environment, 2008)
National Choreographers Initiative (Organization, 2007)
City of Newport Beach (Public Art Program, 2014)
Newport Beach Film Festival (Organization, 2001)
New Swan Theater, UCI - Claire Trevor School of the Arts (Outstanding Contribution to the Built Environment, 2013)
Oanh Nguyen (Artist, 2007)
Noelle Corporate Communications (Patron, 2005)
Northwood High School Performing Arts Department (Educator, 2005)
Orange County Board of Supervisors (Special Award, 2021)
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (Organization, 2001)
Orange County High School of the Arts Foundation (Volunteer, 2001)
Orange County Museum of Art (Organization, 2005)
Orange County Performing Arts Center (Built Environment, 2007)
Orange County Register (Patron, 2000)
Orange County Women's Chorus (Organziation, 2014)
Orange County Youth Symphony (Educator, 2005)
Pacific Chorale (Organization, 2002)
Pacific Symphony League (Volunteer, 2008)
Pacific Life Foundation (Patron, 2001)
Pacific Symphony (Organization, 2004, 2002, 2001)
PBS SoCal (Organization, 2016)
Brian Peterson (Emerging Artist, 2018)
Philharmonic Society of Orange County (Organization, 2000)
Committees of the Philharmonic Society (Volunteer, 2002)
Maurizzio Hector Pineda (Emerging Artist, 2021)
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (Educator, 2001)
Patricia Poss (Patron, 2011)
Teri Ralston (Artist, 2002)
Jerry Rothman (Artist, 2004)
Marytza Rubio (Emerging Artist/Arts Leader, 2022)
Rude Guerrilla Productions (Organization, 2002)
Susan & Henry Samueli (Patron, 2004)
City of Santa Ana (Patron, 2002, 2000)
David Schramm (Volunteer, 2006)
Gregg Schwenk (Volunteer, 2004)
The Hal & Jeanette Segerstrom Family (Patron, 2009)
Helen Seigel (Educator, 2002)
Shakespeare Orange County (Organization, 2005)
Anne Shih (Volunteer, 2001)
Doris Shields (Volunteer, 2000)
Kevin Staniec (Emerging Arts Leader, 2017)
Soka Performing Arts Center (Built Environment, 2012)
South Coast Repertory (Organization, 2003)
South Coast Plaza (Patron, 2009)
South Orange County High School of the Arts (Educator, 2007)
STAGEStheatre (Organization, 2002)
Carl St.Clair (Special Recognition, 2019; Artist, 2001)
STOP-GAP (Organization, 2001)
Alan Terricciano (Artist, 2006)
Jim Thomas (Educator, 2004)
Catherine Thyen (Volunteer, 2005)
Peter Tiner (Educator, 2004)
Tom Titus (Artist, 2005)
Trio Céleste (Emerging Artists, 2017)
Richard Turner (Artist, 2001)
University of California, Irvine Arts Plaza (Built Environment, 2006)
Sister Madeleva Williams, C.S.J. (Artist, 2011)
Wells Fargo Bank (Patron, 2007)
Kurt Weston (Artist, 2010)
The Wooden Floor (Educator, 2010)
Andre Woodward (Artist, 2013)

Enjoy These Images from the 2023 Festivities!

Click on image to view full-size. All pictures by Tony Lattimore Photography.

VIP Reception on the Argyros Terrace
Edmund Velasco and Tammy Noreyko
Jena Minnick Bull and Rachel Wilson
(from L) Ally Helman, Rena Kamariotakis, Jena Minnick-Bull, Rachel Wilson, Armando Gonzalez, Michael O'Halloran, Prana Yenkosky, Walter Yenkosky
(from L) Chris Ahola, Karen Ahola, Jaime Spataro, Renee Bodie Socorro Vasquez, Monica Guillena, Ramsey Andrijevich, Andrea Andrijevich
(from L) Dawn Reese, Judy Posnikoff, Ellie Gordon, Michael Gordon, Sally Anderson, Tom Rogers, Susan Hori, Bob Davis
(from L) Lisa Middleton, Talena Mara, Susan Brooker, Tyler Ennis, Gary Wondercheck, Deborah Wondercheck
(from L) Marleena Barber, Scott Fitzpatrick, Andy Russell, Cindy Galindo, Ellen Breitman Maria Hall Brown
(from L) Patrick Brien, Katy McInnes, Tracey Hall, Kim Greenhall, Time Shaw
(from L) Sarah Strozza, Steve Sorenson, Tiffany Lopez, Chantrell Lewis, Sakina Ibrahim, Goran Matijasevic, Bob Romney
(from L) Tammy Noreyko, Edmund Velasco, Alison Stein, Rick Stein, Diana Farrell, Claudia de la Cruz, Phoebe Stancel, Michael O'Halloran
(from L) Carol Saindon, Nancy Lyons, Barb Kingsbury, Mary Lyons, Donna Janes, Andrew Brown, Barbara Kingsbury, Molly Buzick Pontin
Friends from Chapman University
(from L) Peter Jia, Isabel Dong, Cheer Pan, Tony Huang, Chris Adriance, Kirsten Springer, Craig Springer
(from L) Penny Yada, Frank Yada, Joyce Yada, Donna Fujishige, Jennifer Yang, Beth Fujishige, Anthony Kuo, Kristine Yada
(from L) Nancy Kusagaya, Reiko Fujishige, Jack Fujishige Jane Yada, Grayson Yada, Guest, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Klevos, Jason Kusagaya
(from L) Marguerite Adams, Irene Samadoff, Cheri Smetanka, Rick Smetanka, Anne Shih, Sean O'Harrow, Alison Edwards, June McLaughlin
(Back row, from L) Chantrell Lewis, Tracey Hill, Edmund Velasco, (Front Row, from L) Rick Stein, Claudia de la Cruz, Jane Fujishige Yada, Diana Farrell
Anne Shih and Sean O'Harrow
Bob Romney
Chantrell Lewis and Sakina Ibrahim
Cheri and Rick Smetanka
Dawn Reese
Diana Farell and Supervisor Katrina Foley
Goran Matijasevic
Marleena Barber and Scott Fitzpatrick
Rena Kamariotakis
Jaime Spataro and Renee Bodie
Sally Anderson and Tom Rogers
Susan Hori and Bob Davis
Tiffany Ana Lopez, Chantrell Lewis and Talena Mara
Tony Huang, Cheer Pan, Isabele Dong and Peter Jia
Tracey Hill and Katy Vandermost
Walter and Prana Yenkowsky
Alison and Rick Stein
Karen and Chris Ahola
Andrea and Ramsey Andrijevich
Debora Wondercheck and Guests
Penny Yada, Kristine Yada, Joyce Yada, Frank Yada
Honoree Chantrell Lewis
Honoree Claudia de la Cruz
Edmund Velasco, accepting for Honoree Organization Orange County Musicians Union Local 7, American Federation of Musicians
Tracey Hill, accepting for Honoree Organization Child Creativity Lab
Honoree Jane Fujishige Yada
Elizabeth Segerstrom and Jane Yada at the Ceremonies
Rick Smetanka and Andrew Brown
Jane Yada and family with a painting of Helena Modjeska Chlapowski, by Charles Carolus-Duran, on display courtesy of Elizabeth Segerstrom (center)
The After Party!