Creative Flagstaff is saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Babbitt. The Babbitt Brothers Foundation have served as the Founding Sponsor of the Viola Awards since its inception, 14 years ago. The Viola Awards are named for Viola Babbitt, who was an artist and fierce advocate of the arts in Flagstaff, and relative to Jim Babbitt.

Ingrid Lee, who was Board President of Creative Flagstaff (previously Flagstaff Cultural Partners) at the inception of the Viola Awards 14 years ago, shares the following:

The creation and implementation of the Viola Awards happened astonishingly rapidly.  Fellow board member, Peter Jolma, brought forward the idea of recognition of all types of community artists.

As the Board fleshed out this idea, creation of the name of the event was key. I don’t recall who came up with the name Viola Awards, but once it was proposed, it rolled out extremely rapidly and the awards idea came to fruition within a year.

My recollection of the conversations on how it developed may have been something like this:

‘What shall we call these awards?’

‘…How about Viola’s?  That is a flower that grows in the San Francisco Peaks.’

‘And we can use the color violet as the color scheme.’

‘AND Viola Babbitt was instrumental in developing the Arts Council in the 1980’s. This all ties in together!’

The linchpin to this idea was Jim Babbitt. Jim was approached by former executive director, John Tannous, about recognizing and honoring Viola Babbitt by incorporating her name into the event’s name. Jim made a contribution of $20,000 toward sustaining this annual event.

When I spoke to him after the conclusion of the first Viola Awards, thanking him for his contribution, he said, “This is intended to be the seed money so that the Viola’s can continue to be held.  Please feel free to use any interest earned from these funds to hold this event in the future.”

Not only did the Foundation provide the initial funding, Jim purchase a tables for the Viola’s in subsequent years. He was modest in his personal recognition and continued to attend and participate in the ceremonies.

The first Viola Awards, held at the current Double Tree Hotel, was like a dam had burst.  It may not have been sold out but it was extremely close to capacity of 300.  Community members and honorees came decked out in everything from formal gowns and tuxedos to kilts and tutus.  The event was raucous, inebriated, and full of joy to recognize Flagstaff arts and artists. The success of the Viola Awards would not have been possible without Jim Babbitt’s contribution to and interest in the event.