MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts (NHBCA) has extended the application and nomination deadline for its 39th Annual Arts Awards to February 24. As the only statewide event honoring outstanding business partnerships and engagement in the arts, NHBCA is in search of individuals, businesses and organizations who make a significant contribution to the state’s arts and cultural scene.
For the first time in 35 years, three new accolades will be awarded, based on the number of employees, to recognize the business community’s support of arts and culture:
- Fanfare: Small Business Award will be given to a small business with up to 49 employees that makes the most of their investment and/or in-kind support of the arts by cross-promoting the organization, project, program or other initiative they support to their networks.
- Dyed-in-the-Wool: Medium Business Award will be given to a medium-sized business with 50 to 200 employees that has provided steadfast support to a specific arts or cultural organization(s) for at least five consecutive years.
- Boundless Generosity: Large Business Award will be given to a large business with more than 200 employees that contributes to arts organizations throughout New Hampshire.
In addition, the Business Leader Award has been updated to the Changemaker: Business Leadership Award and will be awarded to a business leader who inspires others with their longstanding support of the arts, exceptional leadership, vision and commitment in encouraging and developing the partnership between business and the arts. This is a highly selective category, and the award is not given out every year.
The other Arts Awards include:
- Bayberry Financial Services Artrepreneur Award will be presented to a professional artist entrepreneur from any discipline who has successfully collaborated with other artists and/or utilized technology to grow their creative practice and business.
- Northeast Delta Dental Artsbuild Community Award will be given to an arts or cultural organization that formed an unconventional coalition – a successful partnership with a group that the organization would otherwise not cross paths.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 24 via NHBCA.com. Those who submit by February 17 will automatically qualify for early bird pricing on the Gala tickets through a discount code for businesses to receive two tickets for $225 or $150 for nonprofit organizations to receive two tickets. All nominees will be recognized during the 39th Annual Arts Awards Gala on Monday, May 8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown. The winners will be announced and presented with an original work of art to commemorate their support of the arts.
The New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts (NHBCA) is a membership organization dedicated to facilitating impactful partnerships between business and art. The NHBCA believes that the arts are powerful: in education, healing and building communities. The committee brings together business and arts to ensure that the creative sector is recognized for its economic power in New Hampshire’s workforce and community development through networking events, engagement opportunities, it’s annual Arts Awards and NHBCA AR+ art, and augmented reality application that brings #NHArtAnywhere. For more information or to download the NHBCA AR+ art application, visit NHBCA.com.