Four Cultural Award winners and One Lifetime Achievement Award winner to be honored
MACON, Ga. — Macon Arts Alliance will proudly present its Annual Meeting and Cultural Awards on October 23 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Historic Douglass Theatre in Downtown Macon. The annual meeting will feature a short presentation about the accomplishments of the arts alliance over its history and an overview of plans for the future. Macon Arts Alliance celebrates 30 years of history and advocacy for the arts with this event. The Annual Meeting and Cultural Awards are free and open to the public.
Jane Madison, Tom Morris, Eric Wakefield, and Kathy Willingham will be honored with 2014 Cultural Awards. Beverly Olson will be honored with a Rosalyn Elkan Lifetime Achievement Award. The Cultural Awards are presented by Macon Arts Alliance to honor those citizens who have contributed greatly to the arts and cultural community. A reception will immediately follow the awards presentation with music provided by Julia Brandenburg, violin, of Warwick, RI, and Si Hao He, cello, of Shanghai, China. Both performers are students at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music.
Jane Madison is the proprietor of Macon’s Madison School of Dance Education. MSDE also turned 30 years old the year. Ms. Madison has impacted the Central Georgia arts community in numerous ways, not only as a dance teacher to thousands of children and adults, but as a performance arts leader, helping bring local arts programs together to collaborate. A native of Indiana, Madison moved to Macon in 1984 with her husband Pat and two children, Faith and Michael. Before her family’s move to Macon, Jane graduated from the prestigious performing arts program at Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri with high honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance. She has instructed students since she was 14 years old.
Originally from Alabama, Tom Morris has been working in Macon’s community theaters for more than twenty years. He has more than fifty-six productions to his credit at Theatre Macon, Peach Area Civic Center and Warner Robins Little Theatre. Morris distinguishes himself as an extremely versatile actor and one of the very best in Middle Georgia. He is considered one of the most admired actors in Central Georgia. In his 15 years on the board of Theatre Macon, he has directed the students at the Youth Actors Company and generously mentored and supported them. He is a registered nurse and clinical manager with patient access at Medical Center, Navicent Health.
Eric Wakefield is the owner of Golden Bough Bookstore, one of the few remaining independent bookstores in America. He is also an exciting painter, a member of the Contemporary Arts Exchange, and a supporter of the local music and visual arts community. His store exhibits work by local artists with social and political commentary that is rarely shown in Central Georgia. He has hosted many small, intimate concerts at the Golden Bough, including experimental touring acts, local music, poetry, and book readings. For years, his store was the hub of the underground music scene, through which he donated time and space to experimental, rock, folk, and punk music in a regular Tuesday night concert. His own artwork, much like the artist/musicians he supports, is thoughtful, insightful and often offers biting social and political commentary. Eric lives in Macon with his wife, Heatherly, son, Blake, and an assortment of kitties.
Kathy Willingham has been a graphic designer since 1976, when she worked as an ad designer at The Macon Telegraph and News. She’s designed materials for museums, printing companies, a manufacturing company, and a balloon company, among others. Her dream has always been to be a freelance designer. Designing for Macon Concert Association, Central Georgia Opera Guild, and other non-profit groups is her way of contributing to their sustainability. For Willingham, it has been the most rewarding and meaningful kind of work, as the caliber of people who maintain the arts organizations is exceptional.
Beverly Olson is a native of Miami Beach, Florida and a patron of the arts in Macon. Olson is a volunteer and board member for numerous civic and philanthropic groups. She served on the City Council of Macon from 2011-2013 and is a trustee of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation where she is an advocate and voice for Macon regarding arts and civic life. She is the recipient of the 2008 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Non-Student Award from Mercer University for her efforts to improve the quality of life in Macon. Though she has traveled around the world to visit many Eastern European and Asian countries, she calls Macon home. She has been married to her husband, Ed, since 1971.
About Macon Arts Alliance
The mission of the Macon Arts Alliance is to foster and support the advancement of arts and culture in Central Georgia. Macon Arts Alliance works to create an environment where arts and culture thrive and Central Georgia is recognized as an unparalleled cultural destination. Macon Arts Alliance is the designated local arts agency for Macon-Bibb County.
impact on its community,” said Chairman Chu. “Through Our Town funding, arts organizations continue to spark vitality that support neighborhoods and public spaces, enhancing a sense of place for residents and visitors alike.”
