Pennsylvania's First Lady Susan Corbett Announces Governor's Awards for the Arts Recipients

Ceremony to Be Held at Harrisburg's Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Lady Susan Corbett today announced the recipients of the prestigious Governor's Awards for the Arts, honoring outstanding Pennsylvania artists, arts organizations, and patrons who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the arts.

"It's a thrill to announce the distinguished honorees of this year's Governor's Awards for the Arts," Mrs. Corbett, the chair of the Council on the Arts said. "The individuals in this exciting group of recipients have created enduring works of children's literature, made beautiful works of art, enhanced cultural organizations and communities, invested in community development and provided examples of excellence and service for generations to come."

Governor Tom Corbett will present the awards on Oct. 22, at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, to the following people:

• Jerry Pinkney, a native Philadelphian now living in Westchester County, NY – Distinguished Arts Award: Caldecott Award-winning children's book illustrator.  
• Kathleen Mulcahy and Ron Desmett, Oakdale – Artists of the Year: Husband and wife glass artists who exhibit internationally and are co-founders of the Pittsburgh Glass Center;
• Live, York – Arts Innovation Award: Multi-platinum selling rock band that has leveraged development projects and community investments in York and other regions of the state to create local job and business opportunities.
• Bill and Beverlee Lehr, Palmyra – Patron Award: philanthropists.

The 33^rd annual award ceremony is free and open to the public. It will be followed by a reception. Private contributions support the event and related expenses.

Corbett has continued the unique Pennsylvania tradition of holding the awards ceremony in a different community each year. This enables the host region to showcase its unique cultural assets to an audience of cultural leaders from across Pennsylvania. The event returns to the state capitol for the first time since 2002.

For more information on the recipients or for the biographies, contact Heather Doughty at 717-787-1517.

The Governor's Awards for the Arts are administered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The state agency works to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania, and to broaden the availability and appreciation of those arts throughout the state.

For more information, visit www.pacouncilonthearts.org or call 717-787-6883.

Media contact: Heather Doughty, 717-787-1517

SOURCE Pennsylvania Council on the Arts