Former Commission Chair Darryl Dobras to be Recognized with Shelley Award; Governor’s Arts Awards Tickets Now Available
Former Chair of the Arizona Commission on the Arts and long-time arts advocate, Darryl Dobras, will be honored at this year’s Governor’s Arts Awards event, on March 27, 2012. Dobras will be recognized as the Shelley Award recipient for his support of and service to the Arizona arts and culture sector.
The Shelley Award is named for former Arizona Commission on the Arts Executive Director, Shelley Cohn, and is presented to “an individual who has advanced the arts through strategic and innovative work in creating or supporting public policy beneficial to the arts in Arizona.”
In addition to his service as Commission Chair for 3 years and Commission member for 2 terms, Dobras has served on the boards of Arizona Theatre Company, Tucson Museum of Art and the Arizona Humanities Council, among other organizations. He is the President of DBD Investments, Chairman of the Tucson Airport Authority, and past chairman of Territorial Bank and the University of Arizona Foundation and Center for Creative Photography.
Executive Director of the Arts Commission, Robert C. Booker, says of Dobras, “During my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many governor-appointed chairs and board members, both in Arizona and at the Minnesota State Arts Board. Darryl was indeed one of the finest leaders I have had the honor to work with. His passion for the arts, understanding of the financial and leadership needs of arts organizations, and respect for the individual artist voice allowed him to guide the Commission in a manner that celebrated Arizona’s residents and arts industry. It was under his leadership that our new mission statement, Imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts, was crafted.”
The Governor’s Arts Awards, presented annually by the Arizona Citizens for the Arts, Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Arizona office of the Governor, will be held at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix, AZ. Honorees will be recognized in six categories for outstanding and substantial contributions to arts and culture. Categories include: Artist, Arts in Education – Organization, Business, Community, Individual and Arts in Education – Individual.
See the complete list of 2012 Arizona Governor’s Arts Awards nominees, here. See a list of previous honorees, here. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.governorsartsawards.org.
