Arts Quincy is excited to announce the recipients of the 2020-21 George M. Irwin Art Awards. 
These awards are designed to recognize the hard work and dedication of these outstanding individuals and organizations. This year, new categories were added to recognize the many roles each person or organization played in the promotion of the fine arts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Winners of the George M. Irwin Art Awards are chosen by a committee based on criteria that demonstrates impact, leadership, engagement, and innovation throughout the community. 

George M Irwin Art Awards: Sponsored by WGEM, The Quincy Herald Whig and the Oakley Lindsay Foundation.

Arts Access Leader of the Year
Quincy Herald Whig: This award is given to a person or business making a significant effort to increase fine arts access and connect existing programs with people in underserved parts of the community including those who are living below the poverty line, the differently-abled, military veterans, the elderly and minorities. 

Philanthropic Leader of the Year
Lee Lindsay: This award is given to an individual or local business making a financial commitment to the arts in Adams County. 

Arts Nonprofit of the Year
Quincy Art Center: This award is given to a nonprofit organization that has made a substantial impact on the cultural development of this area demonstrated through exceptional artistic achievement, outstanding programming or other leadership activities.

Arts Quincy Award  for Community Vision 
Anne St. John and Trees for Tomorrow: This new award is given to a volunteer or organization in recognition for outstanding contributions to the aesthetic vision for Quincy, including projects that have special artistic merit, contribute to community beautification and elevate the quality of life for residents of Quincy and Adams County. 

​Arts Quincy honored Adams County’s fine arts teachers as the recipients of the 2020-21 George M. Irwin Art Award in Art Education.
“We have historically awarded a single teacher this honor, but as the Arts Quincy board talked about it, we recognized that every fine arts teacher in Quincy has gone above and beyond this year to deliver programing to area students,” said Laura Sievert, Executive Director of Arts Quincy. “It makes sense for us to say thank you and to recognize this amazing effort to keep art in our childrens’ lives!” 
This award is designed to recognize the hard work and dedication of these outstanding individuals and schools. This year, the George M. Irwin Art Award was given to recognize the innovation and determination that Adams County fine arts teachers demonstrated in the promotion of the fine arts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to their efforts, the fine arts are still accessible and inspiring to students during this unprecedented time.  
Winners of the George M. Irwin Art Awards are chosen by a board committee based on criteria that demonstrates impact, leadership, engagement, and innovation throughout the community.  

Winners of the Student Art Awards are chosen by a committee based on criteria that includes academic success, community service, and extra-curricular involvement. Here are the winners of the Student Art Awards: 
Vocal Music: Paige Schumacher –
​Quincy Senior High School: Paige, a senior at Quincy Senior High School, is involved in concert choir, show choir, theatre crew, National Honor Society, is the all-school president of student council, and is editor in chief of the Quippi Yearbook. She expresses her passion for the arts through photography, graphic design, and volunteering throughout the community. Paige is the daughter of Ryan and Kate Schumacher. 

Instrumental Music: Audra Tweedell – Quincy Senior High School: Audra, a senior, has played percussion for the Quincy Senior High School concert band and pep band, been a drumline member in the marching band for four years, and played keyboard for the jazz band. Additionally, Audra is involved in concert choir, madrigal choir, National Honor Society, beta club, the pom squad, operation serve, show choir, QHS musicals, and is an all-state musician. Audra is the daughter of Jeff and Sharon Tweedell and has two sisters, Taylor and Lauren. 
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Theater/Performing Arts: Ethan Duesterhaus – Quincy Senior High School: Ethan, a senior, has served as a sound crew member in the theatre department at Quincy Senior High School for numerous plays and musicals. He is involved in theatre guild, the International Thespian Society, concert choir, madrigal choir, and is an Illinois all-state musician. Ethan is the son of Tim and Teresa Duesterhaus. 

The Quincy Symphony Orchestra launches the return of in-person concerts with “New Beginnings” on April 17. The 3 p.m. concert will be held at Morrison Theater in Quincy Junior High. Under the direction of Dr. Bruce Briney, the orchestra will perform bright and joyful music to celebrate the occasion.

The concert opens with Haydn’s joyful “Symphony No. 6 (subtitled “The morning”) which uses individual instruments of the ensemble in an almost concerto-like fashion. Listeners will hear solos by the flute, violin, cello, bassoon, and double bass. Haydn’s original ensemble included only 10-15 musicians, so this context fits well with the QSO’s restricted forces this pandemic year.

​Each year, the Arts Quincy George M. Irwin Arts Awards recognize those who have shown exceptional dedication to increasing arts and cultural access throughout the community. Business support, volunteers, individual artist/teachers, and of course, arts organizations, keep the arts in Quincy and Adams County, Illinois alive and thriving. 

Action Brown County, in partnership with Arts Quincy, are requesting proposals for a mural to be painted in Mt. Sterling, Ill. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, April 30 by 12 pm.
 
The location of the mural is east of the Veterans War Memorial which is located at the corner of South Capitol Ave. and East Main St. in the heart of the town’s business district. The mural would be painted on the west façade of a chiropractor’s office. The area measures approximately 120’ long by 20’ tall (representing 2,400 square feet of paintable space.) It is a huge neighborhood canvas for the installation of public art.
 
The theme for the mural is a vibrant scene representing a sense of community that enhances the downtown area. Ideas might incorporate colorful farmer's market and community themes, rural lifestyle or children's  ideas. The committee would like the mural to be a backdrop for photo opportunities for visitors and residents alike. Patriotic elements may be appropriate, but a completely patriotic mural is not requested. A playground will be built near this location, so something colorful and playful will be appreciated. 
 
The mural must be completed by September 3, 2021.
 
Click here to download the detailed description of the project and how to submit a proposal. For more information, call Arts Quincy at 217-222-3432 or email [email protected].

​Spending a little more time at home this winter? Now is a great time to start up that YouTube channel! With so many content creators and influencers all over social media, it may feel like an uphill battle to get your particular voice heard, but theatre training can really come in handy to set your videos apart from the rest!

​There is one word to describe Mr. Dan Waggoner: inspiring. A Quincy native, Waggoner is well known in Adams County. He is as an artist, a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and now a college student.   
At age 70, Waggoner is attending John Wood Community College and has graciously donated an oil painting portrait of Illinois Governor John Wood, the college’s namesake. He completed the portrait for a recent speech class demonstration. Michael Elbe, JWCC president said, “We are honored to receive this wonderful gift from Mr. Waggoner. Dan personifies our College’s core value of lifelong learning.”

​When you think of classical music, you might list off some famous, long-dead composers like Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, but there are many talented modern composers creating works for ensembles of all kinds, too! Arts Quincy is spotlighting one such composer, Stephanie Berg, from St. Louis, MO, and peeking behind the curtain to reveal the art and science of being a modern composer. Berg wrote a symphonic work called, “Ignite,” for the Quincy Symphony Orchestra in 2018, and the piece was rebroadcast this year on WGEM. She also recently composed a brass quintet titled, “This Uncommon,” which will be world-premiered in Quincy in 2021. She has had work performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the 9th Street Philharmonic, among others. Look for her SoundCloud recordings at stephaniejberg.com.