Business Council for the Arts (BCA) has opened nominations for the 2017 Obelisk Awards, which recognize companies and leaders in business and the arts for their invaluable contributions supporting arts and culture in North Texas. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, June 21, 2017. 

The award recipients will be honored at the 29^th annual Obelisk Awards luncheon on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at the Belo Mansion.  Steven Roth, senior deputy general counsel of Parkland Health and Hospital System, and his wife Thai-lan Tran are serving as the 2017 Obelisk Awards co-chairs.

“For more than a quarter century, the Obelisk Awards have been the symbol of excellence recognizing support of the arts in our community.  Past recipients include visionaries who represent diverse industries, each one making a unique contribution to our cultural vibrancy and quality of life,” remarked Larry Glasgow, Chairman, Board of Directors, Business Council for the Arts.   “With the exponential growth of the arts in North Texas, we believe that this year’s nominations will include long-time arts supporters as well as the new and innovative.”

Nominations for the Obelisk Awards may be made by any individuals, organizations, businesses or groups. Award categories include:

• For Businesses:
  • The New Initiatives Award recognizes businesses for supporting an innovative arts/cultural program created within the past three years. Awards are given to one large, medium and small business each.
  • The Arts Partnerships Award recognizes businesses that have provided sustained support to an arts/cultural organization for three or more years. Awards are given to one large, medium and small business each. A business may only win the Arts Partnership Award once every two years.
  • The Arts Education Award recognizes one outstanding business for its support of arts education programs.
  • For Individual Business Leaders:
    • The Business Champion for the Arts Award recognizes long-term leadership and commitment to arts/culture by a business executive (president, CEO, partner).
    • The Outstanding Leadership Arts Alumnus Award recognizes outstanding board leadership and commitment by a graduate of the Leadership Arts Institute.
    • For Individual Arts/Cultural Leaders:
      • The Visionary Nonprofit Arts Leader Award recognizes an arts leader who has consistently demonstrated vision, impact, innovation, and successful alignment with business and community partners throughout their tenure.
      • For Nonprofit Arts/Cultural Organizations:
      • The Distinguished Cultural Organization Award is given by Neiman Marcus to recognize one outstanding nonprofit organization for a project or program that has enhanced the community through partnership with a business.

To submit a nomination for the 2017 Obelisk Awards please visit http://ntbca.org/obelisk-nominations/. For more information about the Obelisk Awards, visit http://ntbca.org/obelisk or contact Catherine Thompson, 972-991-8300, extension 601.

Business Council for the Arts (BCA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1988 as connector and convenor between businesses, municipalities, and arts and cultural organizations. For 29 years, Business Council for the Arts has advocated for business support of the arts, developed business leaders for nonprofit boards of directors; fostered employee creativity, engagement and creativity through the arts; guided strategic business support for the arts; and measured the economic impact of arts and culture in North Texas.