Nominations sought for APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts Advisory Board’s 2020 Ovation Awards

(Updated March 12, 2020)

NOTICE: This event has been canceled due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Nominations are being sought for the 2020 Ovation Awards, presented by the Advisory Board of the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA, or “seek-ah”). The Ovation Awards will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2020 in the George and Sharon Mabry Concert Hall. For the third year in a row, the awards will be presented in a showcase-style event featuring a variety of performances from both Austin Peay and community arts groups.

The Ovation Awards recognize an individual or group’s dedication to building and sustaining arts and culture in Montgomery County through active participation in the arts and/or support of the arts. The awards have been presented since 1996.

The nominees must have made significant contributions to the artistic and cultural life of the Clarksville-Montgomery County community. Anyone can submit nominations. Nominations will be accepted through Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020.

The award categories in which nominations are sought are:

Individual Artist: A living Tennessee artist, active in the field of literature, visual arts, performing arts, music, folk arts, architecture or design, who lives or lived in Montgomery County.

Community: A Clarksville-Montgomery County community organization or institution with an outstanding arts-based community program or project. Schools and the school district are not eligible in this category.

Business: A business or corporation that has made a significant contribution to support arts and culture in Montgomery County. Government agencies are not eligible

Young Artist: A current high school student in Clarksville-Montgomery County who has shown exceptional dedication, skill and talent in visual art, dance performance, theatre performance, instrumental music, vocal performance or creative writing. Six winners will be selected, not specific to disciplines. Winners will receive a $75 cash prize and will be strongly considered when applying for one of two annual $1,000 endowed arts scholarships at APSU, established by the CECA Advisory Board.  

The Ovation Awards also include The George Mabry Award. Nominees for this honor come from the CECA Advisory Board. The Mabry Award recognizes a living Tennessean who has made a significant impact on arts and culture in Montgomery County through philanthropy, leadership or direct involvement, or a Tennessee individual who has advanced arts and culture through innovative work in creating or supporting the arts in Montgomery County. Past winners include Evans Harvill, Frank Lott, Anne Glass, Olen Bryant, David Alford, Joseph B. Trahern Jr., Joe Giles, Wade Bourne, Gregory Wolynec and Ryan Bowie.

To make a nomination for the 2020 Ovation Awards, visit www.apsu.edu/ceca/ovation to fill out an online nomination form or download a printable form. For more information on the nomination process or the Ovation Awards, contact CECA at 931- 221-7876.