17th Annual Viola Awards: award categories, descriptions, & criteria

Honors a locally based musician, group of musicians, or organization for the presentation of live performed or recorded music in 2024 in the greater Flagstaff area.

Criteria:

• Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors a collaborative effort completed in 2024 or that had significant achievement in 2024 which brought together different disciplines, media, organizations, or businesses to produce or support a project of outstanding achievement in arts, science, and/or culture in greater Flagstaff.

Criteria:

• Quality of Project/Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors an arts, science, or humanities educator or group of educators that nourished outstanding student achievement and engagement within the school environment and beyond between 2023 and 2024. Since 2021, this category has been expanded beyond arts and sciences disciplines to include all humanities.

Criteria:

• Minimum of 3 years in Flagstaff
• Educational Achievement of Students
• Contribution by Students to Flagstaff’s Cultural Sector
• Community Impact

Honors a locally based artist, group of artists, curator, or organization for the production of an excellent work or exhibition of visual art, produced in the greater Flagstaff area and exhibited in the Flagstaff area in 2024. This can be for a single work of art, public art, or for an exhibition of several works of art.

Criteria:

• Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors a locally based performing artist, or organization for a performing arts production, performed in 2024 in the greater Flagstaff area. Recognition could be for a director of a theatrical production, an organization for presentation of a performance, or an actor, dancer, or other performer.

Criteria:

• Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors a locally based writer, filmmaker, podcaster, or other storyteller or group of storytellers for the production of an excellent work produced and presented in 2024 in the greater Flagstaff area. This could be for a film, live reading of written works, recorded presentation, book, short story, essay, poem or a series of stories, essays or poems, or podcast.

Criteria:

• Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors a locally based emerging or student artist in any genre (visual, performing, music, literature, film, etc.). The recipient of this award shall be relatively new to their field or a student in the field, with three to five years of professional experience.

Criteria:

• Length of Career (student or 3-5 years)
• Technical Proficiency
• Strong Concept
• Community Impact

Honors a locally based individual, organization, and/or collaborative effort for their contribution within 2024 to the advancement of Flagstaff as a culturally engaged, equitable, artistic, creative and curious community.

Criteria:

• Significantly impacted the greater Flagstaff area because of work in cultural or creative disciplines; or
• Significantly advanced the cultural sector due to advocacy, investment, or other effort

Honors a developed or practiced Flagstaff-based artisan who has demonstrated a commitment to their craft. An artisan is someone in a skilled trade, making goods by hand (including but not limited to ceramics, glass, jewelry, textiles, metalsmithing, etc).

Criteria:

• Quality of Product/Technical Proficiency
• Conceptual/Cultural Impact
• Community Engagement

Several of the awards are decided based on the following shared criteria:

-Technical Proficiency

-Demonstrated mastery of the technical aspects of their craft is essential. This includes vocal range,        instrumental proficiency, dance technique, or any specialized skills required for their specific discipline. Nominees must show a high level of technical competence.

The highest ranking nominations for technical proficiency will demonstrate:

Was there excellence within field? Was there a demonstrated mastery of the technical aspects of their craft? Was there consistency and versatility? ie: Was it the same experience every time and consistently presented? Does this showcase the versatility of the presenter?

-Strong Concept

The highest ranking nominations for Strong Concept will demonstrate:

Does the work make an impactful conceptual or cultural statement? Was this something the community has not seen before or a new take on something previously seen? Was the concept fully developed and thoughtfully designed?

-Community Impact

The highest ranking nominations for Community Impact will demonstrate:

Was there an engaged audience, either quantified by quality or quantity? Was the work accessible to the community? Did the work spark reflection or stimulate conversation, or encourage the audience to become engaged? Are there reviews, audience feedback, or critical acclaim for the work? Has the work made an impact on the field within the community? Did the work demonstrate collaborative skills, with adaptability and resilience?

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*Starred categories are identified as categories that have subdisciplines that may be awarded separately at the discretion of the selection panels. For example, panels can choose to award for dance and theatre for performing arts, science education and humanities education, or emerging leader and organization for community impact.

Established in 1999, Creative Flagstaff is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), and serves as Flagstaff’s art, science and culture agency with a mission of fostering creative opportunity.

If you have any questions please contact Dani Commanda at dcommanda@creativeflagstaff.org or 928-271-5550 for the Events Department.

Honors a lifetime contribution to the advancement of Flagstaff as a culturally engaged, equitable, artistic, creative, and curious community. Past winners of the Legacy Award have significant achievements in the arts and sciences, both in Flagstaff and beyond.

Beginning in 2022, the award stretches beyond arts or sciences to more broadly represent Flagstaff’s cultural sector. Legacy honorees are selected by the Creative Flagstaff Board of Directors.

The Babbitt Brothers Foundation Viola Legacy Award: Honoring Klee Benally

17th Annual Viola Awards Finalists

This year we have 47 finalists across 10 categories.

Founding Sponsor

Violet Sponsors

Purple Carpet Sponsors

Video and Tech Sponsor

Orchid Sponsors

In-kind Sponsors