[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 139 (Friday, November 14, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING RECIPIENTS OF THE 2014 ARTS COUNCIL OF FAIRFAX COUNTY ARTS 
                                 AWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 14, 2014

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Arts Council of 
Fairfax County and the recipients of the 2014 Arts Awards. These awards 
recognize the extraordinary contributions of artists and arts 
organizations, as well as individuals and businesses in Fairfax County, 
the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church that support the arts 
in our community.
   Founded in 1964, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, Inc. is a non-
profit organization designated as Fairfax County's local arts agency. 
The Arts Council operates programs and initiatives that include grants, 
arts advocacy, education, and professional development opportunities 
for artists and arts organizations. In FY14, the Arts Council awarded 
over $500,000 in County, public, and private funds through competitive 
grants and awards to arts organizations and individual artists. These 
grants helped to fund approximately 13,000 performances and 2,600 arts 
programs which were attended by more than 1 million people. In 
addition, The Arts Council of Fairfax County has been a strong 
supporter and sponsor of the 11th Congressional District High School 
Arts Competition and has been instrumental in making this program one 
of the most successful in the nation.
   The Arts Awards honor supporters of the arts in four categories: the 
Jinx Hazel Arts Award, the Arts Impact Award, the Arts Education Award, 
and the Arts Philanthropy Award. It is my honor to enter the following 
names of the 2014 Arts Awards Recipients into the Congressional Record: 
The 2014 Jinx Hazel Arts Award will be presented to Bill Reeder and 
Richard Kamenitzer of George Mason University. Together they have built 
one of the nation's most respected higher education programs for the 
arts and arts management, training hundreds of artists and arts 
administrators, helping young professionals create new arts programs, 
and sustaining local arts organizations in Fairfax communities.
   The 2014 Arts Impact Award will be presented to the Greater Reston 
Arts Center (GRACE). Over the past 40 years, GRACE has enriched the 
Reston community with art exhibitions, arts education programs, and the 
annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, which has become one of 
the region's largest arts festivals with tens of thousands of 
attendees. Since its inception in 1974, GRACE has mounted more than 250 
exhibitions, presenting the work of local, regional, and national 
artists.
   The 2014 Arts Education Award will be presented to Cappies of the 
National Capital Area (Cappies NCA) for its innovation and impact in 
arts education. Cappies--the Critics and Awards Program--engages high 
school students in a comprehensive theatre education program. Each 
year, Cappies NCA involves approximately 3,200 students from 56 schools 
as theatrical performers, production managers and technicians, and 
critics. Since its inception in 1999, thousands of high school students 
have experienced the breadth and depth of the theatre, with many 
becoming actors, theatre professionals, arts educators, and 
journalists.
   The 2014 Arts Philanthropy Award will be presented to Pat and Steve 
Macintyre for their outstanding support of initiatives that strengthen 
the arts in Herndon and Reston. Through their generosity over the past 
three decades the Macintyres have founded or supported organizations 
including the Herndon Foundation for the Cultural Arts, Council for the 
Arts of Herndon, League of Reston Artists, Initiative for Public Art--
Reston, Herndon's Art in Public Places initiative, and Technology and 
the Arts scholarships. Additionally, Pat has served on the boards of 
many of these organizations.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the 
recipients of the 2014 Arts Awards and in recognizing and thanking the 
visionaries, leaders, and supporters who help to make our Northern 
Virginia communities rich with cultural opportunities.

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