Published On: Mon, Jan 9th, 2012

PBC Cultural Council names recipients of 2012 MUSE Awards

Rena Blades, chief executive officer of the Palm Beach County Cultural Council, the
official arts agency that serves non-profit cultural organizations and professional artists
throughout the county, has announced the recipients of the 2012 Muse Awards honoring
individuals and organizations for their contributions to arts and culture throughout Palm
Beach County.

The winners were honored last month at a special cocktail reception at the Gavlak
Gallery in Palm Beach, hosted by Awards Co-chairs Jean Sharf and Elizabeth Neuhoff
and featuring members of the Muse Awards 42-person honorary committee.

The actual Muse Awards will be presented at an entertainment-filled dinner and show
at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Cohen Pavilion, on Thursday, February 9,
from 6 to 9 p.m. The theme for the upcoming dinner and show is “Behind the Scenes.”

“The Muse Awards not only celebrate the many wonderful contributions these recipients
are making to Palm Beach County residents and visitors, but they also spotlight
the intrinsic ways, both obvious and subtle, that our cultural community continues
to positively impact both the local economy and our overall quality of life,” said
Blades. “Of course, proceeds from the Muse Awards 2012 will once again benefit the
Cultural Council’s ongoing arts and cultural education programs.”

The 2012 Muse Award Recipients

Outstanding Civic Leader
Milton & Tamar Maltz
The founder and former Chairman/CEO of the Malrite Communications Group, Milton
Maltz has played a critical role in the development of several cultural and entertainment
projects across the country, including the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Palm Beach County.

Tamar Maltz has served on the Board of Directors for the Montefiore Home and the
Friends of the Library at Siegal College, and she is founder of the Maltz Museum of
Jewish Heritage.

Outstanding Cultural Leader
Dr. Ray E. Robinson
For more than half a century, Dr. Ray Robinson has been a music educator, reviewer
and visionary, who retired as artistic director and general manager of the Palm Beach
Symphony at the end of the 2010-2011 season. The author of 10 books, Dr. Robinson is
a specialist in the music of Felix Mendelssohn, Krzysztof Penderecki, and the works of
Polish and Romanian composers.

Outstanding Arts Educator

Stephen Backhus
An interdisciplinary artist and educator, Stephen Backhus creates site specific
installations and performances that incorporate his drawings, sculptures and collages. He
has worked through such organizations as The Haven, The Arc, Quantum House, Virtue
in a Pocket, Kids in Distress and Head Start.

Outstanding Art or Cultural Program of the Year
Obon, The Annual Bon Festival at the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens in Delray
Beach. It is the only museum in the southeast United States dedicated to Japanese culture.
Following ancient tradition, Obon, the annual Bon Festival at the Morikami celebrates
the moment when, according to legend, ancestral spirits return for a visit to the living and
depart to the otherworld on a journey illuminated by floating paper lanterns.

Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization (Budget Under $500,000)
The Palm Beach Poetry Festival
The Palm Beach Poetry Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the
writing, reading, performance, and appreciation of poetry by presenting an annual festival
in Delray Beach. The eighth annual festival will be held January 16-21 at Old School
Square in Delray Beach.

Outstanding Arts & Cultural Organization (Budget Over $500,000)
Boca Raton Museum of Art
Over the last 60 years, the Boca Raton Museum of Art has evolved into one of the
leading cultural institutions in South Florida achieving international recognition as
a world-class visual arts institution, presenting dynamic traveling exhibitions from
acclaimed and emerging artists, and an outstanding permanent collection.

Herbert Ubertalli Award for Visual Arts
Carol Prusa
An award-winning visual artist, Carol Prusa has exhibited her work in numerous
museums including the American Museum of Arts and Design in New York City and the
Triennial Exhibition of German and American Artists that traveled to the Museum for
Angewandte Kunst in Frankfort.

Council’s Choice Award
Andrew Kato
Now celebrating his sixth anniversary as artistic director of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre,
Andrew Kato has produced more than 30 major shows.

Tickets to attend the Muse Awards gala dinner and show on February 9 at the Kravis
Center are only $300 per person. In addition, sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Contact Melissa Santee, Cultural Council’s Director of Development, by
phone (561.472.3340) or email (msantee@palmbeachculture.com), or visit
www.palmbeachculture.com/museawards2012.

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