2025 County Executive's Arts Awards Nominations
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DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS – 11:59 pm, Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Join us for the 39th Annual Dutchess County and 13th Annual Ulster County Executive's Arts Awards, a celebration of the individuals, organizations, and businesses whose outstanding contributions enrich the artistic landscape and cultural vitality of both counties. In collaboration with Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, these awards recognize those who have made a lasting impact on our creative community.
We invite you to submit nominations for deserving individuals, organizations, or businesses residing in Dutchess or Ulster, making a difference in the arts. Let’s recognize and celebrate the talent and creativity that enrich the Dutchess and Ulster Counties!
AWARDS CEREMONIES – The Ulster County Executive's Arts Awards will be held in June and the Dutchess County Executive's Arts Awards will be held in October.
Award Categories:
Art in Public Places: awards an individual artist, arts organization, school, or community group that has successfully designed and installed a public art project.
Artivist Award: Recognizes an artist who generously engages the community through their work in the arts.
Arts in Education Award: acknowledges an educator, teaching artist, arts or educational administrator, school, school district, or organization that, through extraordinary vision and leadership, has expanded or enriched arts education opportunities for students.
Arts Organization Award: rewards an arts organization that has made an important contribution to the growth of the County's cultural life over a significant period of time.
Business/Corporation Award: recognizes a business or corporation that has demonstrated extraordinary support of the arts and/or vision and leadership in using the arts to enhance community life and enrich the County's cultural heritage.
Individual Artist Award: recognizes an individual whose achievements in his/her discipline are widely recognized and who has demonstrated a compelling or unique artistic vision.
Impact in the Arts (only available to Ulster Residents/Families): recognizes an individual or family who has/have made a significant contribution to the arts in Ulster County through extraordinary leadership, personal financial commitment, or philanthropic activities.
Patron in the Arts (only available to Dutchess Residents/Families): recognizes an individual or family who has/have made a significant contribution to the arts in Dutchess County through extraordinary leadership, personal financial commitment, or philanthropic activities.
Inclusion in the Arts (only available to Ulster Residents/Businesses/Organizations): recognizes an individual, business, or group that advances inclusive opportunities for persons with disabilities with the intention of building and empowering equity and access to the arts within Ulster County.
ThinkDIFFERENTLY in the Arts (only available to Dutchess Residents/Businesses/Organizations): this award recognizes an individual, business, or organization that follows the initiative launched by Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro that seeks to change the way our community relates to our neighbors with all abilities through the arts.
Volunteer Award: recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the arts as a board member, volunteer, or through other services in the arts.
Youth with Exceptional Promise in the Arts: Recognizes a person who is of high school or college-age (16-22) as of October 31, 2025, and working or studying in any arts discipline including visual, performing, literary, film/video, and computer, among others. (Note: Supporting attachments are REQUIRED for nominations in this category.)
Selecting Nominees
Community members will review nominations and select this year's awardees based on artistic excellence/dedication, impact, and influence.
Please note that recipients are NOT chosen by the number of nominations received but by the quality of their work and the depth of which it benefits either the Dutchess or Ulster County Community.
Nominees must be residents of Dutchess or Ulster County, or corporations/organizations based in Dutchess or Ulster County.
Nominations may not be made for people, businesses, or organizations who have been honored in that category in the last 5 years, however, if you nominated someone last year who did not win you may nominate them again. See previous awardees here: Past Awardees
Nominations will close automatically at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.