Governor's Awards for the Arts
A Special Note About the Governor's Awards for the Arts
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts have not been held since the fall of 2019 due to the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event is a treasured tradition for the arts community of Pennsylvania, but it necessitates a great undertaking by the host community and ceremony location in terms of planning. In addition, the event is traditionally attended by a live audience and honorees must attend in person.
To those individuals who submitted nominations for the awards, we understand that this is something that required time, consideration, and effort on your part. Please know that your submission will be carried over to the pool of nominations for consideration.
We hope that in the future we can again present this long-standing and often joyous Commonwealth event, which celebrates the contributions of outstanding Pennsylvania arts and artists. As we have more information to share in the coming months, we will be sure to keep the arts and culture community apprised as to the status of this event.
History of the Governor's Awards for the Arts
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts represent a Pennsylvania tradition begun in 1980 by Governor Dick Thornburgh. Presented annually in Harrisburg at the State Capitol, these awards honored artists in each of the following categories: painting, sculpture, photography, music, literature, dance, theatre, crafts, and media arts. An award was also made for "service to the arts." The awards, which recognized Pennsylvanians who contributed their creative talents to their communities, were named the Hazlett Memorial Awards for Excellence in the Arts, after the late Theodore L. Hazlett Jr. of Pittsburgh, the first chairman of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The awards were administered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. A Distinguished Pennsylvania Artist Award was also established to be chosen by the Governor. [Note: No standard policy was established for this category, but it was generally agreed that the recipient would be a native Pennsylvanian and an artist of world renown.]
Following the 1982 awards, the Hazlett awards were presented in no more than six disciplines, in alternating years, and architecture was added as a category.
The awards were suspended in 1987 in the first year of Governor Robert P. Casey’s administration. In 1988, through his cultural advisor’s office, Governor Casey established "a comprehensive Governor’s awards program" with the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences "to honor outstanding individual creativity and achievement, to focus attention upon the critical importance of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the life of an enlightened democratic society, and to pay tribute to Pennsylvania’s rich cultural and intellectual traditions." A single award was presented in each area.
In 1996, oversight and administration of the Governor’s Awards returned to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Four new award categories were established by Governor Tom Ridge to recognize not only the contributions of Pennsylvania’s individual artists and patrons of the arts, but also the outstanding arts organizations which make the Commonwealth a leader in the cultural life of the nation. For the first time, a category was established which recognizes the significant contributions to the arts made by corporations and foundations (the Patron Award).
Please note that the Governor's Awards for the Arts did not take place in 2015 or 2016. It is customary for a new gubernatorial administration to use the first year in office to consider changes to the event that will reflect the administration's interests and priorities, including but not limited to award categories. For this reason, the Governor's Awards for the Arts also did not occur in 1987, 1995, 2003, or 2011.
Currently, the Governor's Office has developed four award categories:
Distinguished Arts Award - Recognizing a Pennsylvania artist of international fame, leadership or renown whose creations or contributions enrich the state.
Artist of the Year Award (the Hazlett Memorial Award) - Recognizing an individual artist for their creations and contributions to the excellence of the arts in Pennsylvania.
Creative Industries Award - Recognizing outstanding contributions made by Pennsylvania's commercial creative industries. Such contributions may take a variety of forms, including supporting arts production, contributing to arts and cultural economic activity, or manufacturing instruments or tools integral to arts and cultural creation.
Arts Leadership & Service/Arts Innovation Award - Recognizing an organization or individual(s) for outstanding leadership and service or innovation in the arts.
2019 Governor's Awards for the Arts --Pittsburgh
Vanessa German:
Artist of the Year
Roger Humphries, Sr.:
Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
Joe Negri: Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
Rock Lititz: Creative Industries Award
Mary Brenholts: Arts Leadership & Service Award
To view photos from the 2019 Governor's Awards for the Arts, click here.
2018 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Scranton
Tina Williams Brewer:
Artist of the Year
Quiara Alegría Hudes: Distinguished Arts Award
C.F. Martin and Co., Inc.: Special Recognition for Advancing the Arts
Mira Nakashima: Lifetime Achievement in the Arts
Scribe Video Center: Arts Leadership & Service Award
2017 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Lancaster
Pepón Osorio: Distinguished Arts Award
Barry Kornhauser: Artist of the Year
George Junior Republic's Pointing the Way Program: Arts Leadership & Service Award
Ann Benzel: Patron Award
The Honorable J. Richard Gray & Mrs. Gail Gray: Special Recognition for Public Leadership in the Arts
2014 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Indiana
Jennifer Higdon: Distinguished Arts Award
Robert Qualters: Artist of the Year
The Andy Warhol Museum: Arts Innovation Award
Myron Hay Tomb, Esq.: Leadership & Service Award
Mark E. Pasquerilla: Patron Award
2013 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Harrisburg
Jerry Pinkney: Distinguished Arts Award
Beverlee and Bill Lehr: Patron Award
LIVE: Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and Chad Gracey: Arts Innovation
Kathleen Mulcahy and Ron Desmett: Artists of the Year
2012 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Erie
Peter Q. Bohlin FAIA: Distinguished Arts Award
Tom and Susan Hagen: Patron Award
Bruce Katsiff: Arts Leadership & Service Award
Jane Golden and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program: Arts Innovation
Susan Hale Kemenyffy: Artist of the Year
2010 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Philadelphia
Charles Dutoit: Distinguished Arts Award
Carole Price Shanis and Joseph Shanis: Patron Award
ArtsQuest: Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts for Youth
John Vanco: Pennsylvania Creative Community Award
Moe A. Brooker: Artist of the Year
2009 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- York
Jeff Koons: Distinguished Arts Award
Louis J. Appell and Arthur J. Glatfelter: Patron Award
Caroline S. Nunan: Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts for Youth
Ridgway Chainsaw Carvers: Pennsylvania Creative Community Awards
2008 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Williamsport
Michael Keaton: Distinguished Arts Award
Barbara B. Hudock: Patron Award
The PAL Center for the Arts Unit of The Olivet Boys & Girls Club of Reading & Berks County: Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts for Youth
Taller Puertorriqueno Carmen Febo-San Miguel, M.D., Executive Director: Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts in Education Award
Phil Woods & the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts (COTA): Pennsylvania Creative Community Award
Sascha Feinstein: Artist of the Year
2007 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Gettysburg
Rob Marshall: Distinguished Arts Award
Kathleen Marshall: Distinguished Arts Award
Jennifer and David LeVan:
Patron Award
Marcia Dale Weary: Outstanding Leadership & Service to Youth Award
Settlement Music School: Outstanding Leadership & Service to Youth Award
Pike County Arts & Crafts: Pennsylvania Creative Community Award
Lorenzo "Rennie" Harris: Artist of the Year (The Hazlett Memorial Award)
2006 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Wilkes-Barre
Nelson Shanks: Distinguished Arts Award
Santo Loquasto: Distinguished Arts Award
Marlene O. "Linny" Fowler: Patron Award
Bradford County Regional Arts Council (BCRAC): Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts in Education Award
The Dixie Hummingbirds: Artist of the Year (The Hazlett Memorial Award)
2005 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Greensburg
Marilyn Horne: Distinguished Arts Award
Lloyd Alexander: Lifetime Leadership & Service in the Arts for Youth
Francois Bitz: Patron Award
Sarah Tambucci, Ph.D.: Outstanding Leadership & Service in Arts in Education
Art Sanctuary and Asian Arts Initiative: Creative Community Award
Lonnie Graham: Artist of the Year (The Hazlett Memorial Award)
2004 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Reading
Lang Lang:
Artist of the Year (The Hazlett Memorial Award)
Regina "Ginger" Gouger Miller and Marlin Miller, Jr.: Patron Award
Carole Haas Gravagno: Outstanding Leadership & Service in the Arts for Youth
Donna and Al Brown and the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center: Pennsylvania Creative Community Award
2002 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Harrisburg
M. Night Shyamalan: Distinguished Arts Award
Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest: Patron Awards
The Harrisburg Housing Authority's Cultural Arts Program: Arts Leadership and Service Award
Bob Dorough: Artist of the Year
2001 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Allentown
Wolfgang Sawallisch: Distinguished Arts Award
The Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation: Patron Award
WHYY, Inc. President and CEO William J. Marrazzo: Arts Leadership and Service
Leon Bates: Artist of the Year
2000 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Altoona
Chaim Potok: Distinguished Arts Award
Meyer P. and Vivian O. Potamkin: Patron Award
The Heinz Endowments: Patron Award
Lily Yeh: Arts Leadership and Service
LaVaughn Robinson: Artist of the Year
1999 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Harrisburg
Peter Nero: Distinguished Arts Award
Lois Lehrman Grass: Patron Award
Sunoco, Inc.: Patron Award
William E. Strickland, Jr.: Arts Leadership and Service
Thaddeus Mosley: Artist of the Year
1998 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Philadelphia
Patti LaBelle: Distinguished Arts Award
Bell Atlantic: Corporate Award
Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia: Arts Leadership & Service
Robert Page: Artist of the Year
1997 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Pittsburgh
Ken Ludwig: Distinguished Arts Award
PNC Bank Foundation: Foundation Patron
Leon Arkus: Arts Leadership & Service
Charlotte Blake Alston: Artist of the Year
1996 Governor's Awards for the Arts -- Harrisburg
Paul Winter: Distinguished Arts Award
Binney & Smith Inc.: Corporate Patron
Carol R. Brown: Arts Leadership & Service
Robert Montgomery Scott: Arts Leadership & Service
Tito Capobianco: Artist of the Year
Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Distinguished Pennsylvania Artists
- 1994 -- Lorin Maazel, Conductor
- 1993 -- John Edgar Wideman, Author
- 1992 -- Paul Plishka, Opera Singer
- 1991 -- Gary Graffman, Pianist
- 1990 -- August Wilson, Playwright
- 1989 -- Riccardo Muti, Conductor
- 1988 -- Judith Jamison, Dancer
- 1986 -- Andrew Wyeth, Painter
- 1985 -- Byron Janis, Pianist
- 1984 -- [Revoked]
- 1983 -- John Updike, Author
- 1982 -- Marian Anderson, Opera Singer
- 1981 -- James Michener, Author
- 1980 -- James Stewart, Actor
Theodore L. Hazlett Memorial Awards for Excellence in the Arts
- 1986
- Lester Breininger, Jr.: Crafts
- Joan Myers Brown: Dance
- Samuel Hazo: Literature
- Sidney Goodman: Painting
- Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.: Service to the Arts
- Katherine Minehart: Theatre
-
1985 - Mitchell/Giurogola Architecture Anthony Buba: Media Arts
- Max Rudolf: Music
- Larry Fink: Photography
- Charles Fahlen: Sculpture
-
1984 - Stanley Lechtzin: Crafts
- Hellmut Fricke-Gottschild: Dance
- Daniel Hoffman: Literature
- Dorothy Dressler: Service to the Arts
- Charles Fuller: Theatre
- Henry Koerner: Painting
-
1983 - Linda Blackaby: Film/Video
- Andre Previn: Music
- Emmet Gowin: Photography
- Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown: Architecture
-
1982 - Rudolf Staffel: Crafts
- Paul Draper: Dance
- Fred Rogers: Film/Video
- David Bradley: Literature
- George Crumb: Music
- Larry Day: Painting
- Mark Cohen: Photography
- Rafael Ferrer: Sculpture
- John Allen, Jr.: Theatre
- Philip I. and Muriel Berman: Service to the Arts
-
1981 - George Nakashima: Crafts
- Barbara Weisberger: Dance
- Peter Rose: Film/Video
- Paul West: Literature
- Vincent Persichetti: Music
- Andrew Wyeth: Painting
- William Larson: Photography
- Selma Burke: Sculpture
- Margo Lovelace: Theatre
- Gregory Gibson: Service to the Arts
-
1980 - Natale Rossi: Crafts
- Arthur Hall: Dance
- Dwinell Grant: Film/Video
- Gerald Stern: Literature
- Eugene Ormandy: Music
- Edna Andrade: Painting
- Ray K. Metzker: Photography
- Harry Bertoia: Sculpture
- Dr. Alvina Krause: Theatre
- Sondra Myers: Service to the Arts