Date:

May 2, 2007

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831

Anne Schuff, AmeriCorps/Lincoln Arts Council, 434-2789

Mayor Coleen J. Seng will present cash awards Thursday, May 3 to the winners of the first National Arts Program contest for employees of the City of Lincoln and their families. More than 100 entries were received, and 13 artists will be recognized in a ceremony at 10 a.m. in the City Council Chambers, 555 South 10th Street. The awards ceremony will be carried live on 5 CITY-TV, the government access cable channel. No City funds were used for the contest or exhibit, and the program had no entry fee.

This is the first year the City of Lincoln has participated in the National Arts Program, which sponsors art contests and exhibits for City employees and their families in about 450 communities across the country. Lincoln is the first city in Nebraska to take part in the program. Additional financial support is being provided by the Duncan Family, AmeriCorps/the Lincoln Arts Council and the Nebraska Arts Council.

All artworks entered will be exhibited at two branch libraries from Thursday through May 23. Art entered in the youth categories will displayed at Eiseley, 1530 Superior Street, and art entered in the adult categories will be displayed at Gere, 2400 South 56th. Opening receptions will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, May 4 at both locations.

"We were so pleased to receive so many entries in our first year of the program," said Mayor Seng. "This is an excellent opportunity for our employees to display their creativity outside of the work environment and for their families to share their talents. I want to thank those agencies supporting the program, and I want to encourage the public to visit the exhibits to see the outstanding work."

The winner of the "Best in Show" award is Roxanna Piersol, the 9-year-old daughter of Vicky Piersol in the LIFE Office of the Lincoln Area Agency on Aging. In addition to her $75 award as winner of her youth category, Roxanna will receive art lessons from the Lux Center for the Arts and the National Arts Program and an additional cash award from Lincoln Benefit Life. A complete list of award recipients follows this release.

Judges for the exhibition were Norman Geske, former Director of the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery; Anne Pagel, Curator for the Duncan Family; and Dean Settle, Director of the Community Mental Health Center of Lancaster County.

More information on the national program is available at www.nationalartsprogram.org. The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, supports the program through a matching grant funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. More information is available at www.nebraskaartscouncil.org.

BEST IN SHOW ($340 in prizes) - Roxanna Piersol (parent Vicky Piersol, Aging LIFE Office)

YOUTH UNDER 12
First place ($75) - Roxanna Piersol
Second place ($50) - Raine Rittscher (parent Jacki Rittscher, Aging LIFE Office)
Third place ($25) - Raine Rittscher

YOUTH 12 - 18
First place ($75) - Micah Mullins (parent Diane Mullins, Women’s Commission)
Second place ($50) - Maggie Austin (parent Jennie Kohl Austin, Urban Development)
Third place ($25) - Sabrina Roland (parent Kathryn Burklund, Parks and Recreation)

ADULT AMATEUR
First place ($300) - Rebecca Hueske, Library
Second place ($200) - Dallas McGee, Urban Development Department
Third place ($100) - Dallas McGee

ADULT INTERMEDIATE
First place ($300) - Donna Gustafson, Library
Second place ($200) - Becky Wurm Clark, Library
Third place ($100) - Valerie Oertli, Library

ADULT PROFESSIONAL
First place ($300) - Jen Craun (sister of Anna Seckman, Parks and Recreation)
Second place ($200) - Jon Sundermeier, Lincoln Police Department
Third place ($100) - Olga Kanne-Sanchez, Urban Development Department