Top Row, Left to Right: Bryan Ballinger, Christy Burgess, D. Del Reverda-Jennings. Bottom Row, Left to Right: Jim Smoak, Shaun Dingwerth, and Emily Bennett. Click the graphic to view the films about each individual.
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Arts Commission announced today that short films profiling each of the 2023 Governor’s Arts Award recipients have been released and are available for viewing. The films premiered at the 2023 Governor’s Arts Awards Statehouse Celebration on Tuesday, February 27th.
The 2023 Governor’s Arts Award films were directed and produced by William Bryant Rozier of Scrambled Eggs LLC. Zachary Vessels of TopSphere Media served as Director of Photography and the main editor of the films. The Fort Wayne-based team was selected for the project following a solicitation of Statements of Qualification from the Indiana Arts Commission.
Originally presented in 1973, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize outstanding achievement and contributions to arts and creativity in Indiana. Presented biennially, the awards are the highest honor the state gives in the arts and recognize those who maximize their roles as innovators, supporters, and advocates to grow arts and creativity on the state or national level.
“Art is so critical to the very fabric of who we are, and foundational to who we can in part become,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “The arts community itself provides so much extra value in regards to our state’s attractiveness. I’m both so encouraged and inspired by the stories of our remarkable artists who continue to express the Hoosier story in so many different and unique ways.”
The 2023 recipients are Bryan Ballinger (Huntington), Christy Burgess (South Bend), D. Del Reverda-Jennings (Indianapolis), Jim Smoak (Pekin), and Shaun Dingwerth and the Richmond Art Museum (Richmond). You can learn more about each of the recipients in their video profiles or on the Governor’s Arts Awards webpage.
Each award cycle, a Hoosier artist is commissioned to create the awards. The 2023 award artist was Emily Bennett, fiber artist from Terre Haute. Bennett was also profiled in the films.
“We were thrilled to partner with the Office of the Governor to recognize the incredible award recipients and are so excited to share the videos that capture the talent, spirit, and drive of each individual,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “Bryant and Zachary did a fantastic job of capturing the power of Hoosier creativity and the impact that individuals can have to make our state a stronger, more connected place.”
The 2023 Governor’s Arts Award films can be viewed on the Indiana Arts Commission’s YouTube page. A playlist contains each of the seven films.
