Five individuals have been selected to receive awards as part of the Le Moyne College Arts Administration Program second annual Impact Awards: Celebrating Arts & Culture. The awards - which will be presented via Zoom on Wednesday, March 3 at 6 p.m. - offer the community an opportunity to recognize excellent leaders in the arts, including managers, board members and teachers.
For further information and to register to attend, visit
the Impact Awards page.
“Especially at a time when COVID-19 has caused so much disruption in the arts and culture sector, our selection committee was highly impressed with the entire pool of nominees,” said Travis Newton, associate professor & director of the College’s Arts Administration Program. “Their choices were difficult, and this year’s recipients are extraordinary leaders.”
Following a rigorous nomination and selection process, the College announced the five award recipients:
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Arts Manager of the Year: Samara Hannah, executive director, Redhouse Arts Center
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Arts Board Member of the Year: Michael Feng, vice president of the board of directors, Symphoria
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Artist as Manager: Kyle Bass, associate artistic director, Syracuse Stage
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Arts Educator of the Year: Michelle Combs, general music teacher, Homer Elementary School
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Newcomer of the Year: Sayward Schoonmaker, artistic director, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park
In addition to a presentation of awards, the event will also feature a keynote speech by Aaron Dworkin, 2005 MacArthur Fellow and President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts.
The 2021 selection committee included Elisa Dekaney (associate dean, Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts), Dashiell Elliott (program officer, Central New York Community Foundation), Mark Golden (CEO and Co-founder, Golden Artist Colors, Inc.), Bea Gonzalez (trustee, Syracuse Stage) and Carol Terry (arts consultant).