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VPR's coverage of arts and culture in the region.

2019 Vermont Arts Awards Recipients Discuss Role Of Arts In Advocacy, Education & Building Community

Photos of the five 2019 Vermont Arts Award Recipients
Vermont Arts Council
This year's Vermont Arts Awards recipients include François Clemmons, Joan Robinson, Douglas Anderson, Castle Freeman and James Lockridge (clockwise from top left). "

Each year, the Vermont Arts Council recognizes outstanding contributions to the arts with the Vermont Arts Awards. The awards are given to artists and performers, but also to educators, advocates, and volunteers who work to advance and uplift the arts in the state. Last week in Middlebury, the Arts Council celebrated the contributions of five Vermonters.

Vermont Edition spoke with three of this year's five recipients about topics such as community-based art, arts advocacy, and the importance of live performances in arts education.

Listen to the audio above to hear from:

Other winners this year include Middlebury resident and singer, composer, playwright and activist François Clemmons, known for his role as Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers Neighborhood and director of the Martin Luther King Spiritual Choir at Middlebury College until is retirement in 2013. Clemmons was awarded the 2019 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

And the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts went to Newfane author Castle Freeman, recognizing a body of work that includes seven novels, dozens of short stories, and volumes of essays, articles and other nonfiction writing.

Broadcast on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Jane Lindholm is the host, executive producer and creator of But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids. In addition to her work on our international kids show, she produces special projects for Vermont Public. Until March 2021, she was host and editor of the award-winning Vermont Public program Vermont Edition.
April Qian was a part-time producer for Vermont Edition.
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