Call for 2007 Business in the Arts Nominations!

The Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts, Inc. ("TBBCA"), is soliciting nominations for the thirteenth annual Business in the Arts Awards to honor businesses and individual business volunteers who have distinguished themselves through outstanding support of the arts and culture in Tampa Bay.
 
Recognition will be given to those businesses and individuals who have had the most significant impact on the arts, either through a single act of sufficient magnitude or through a variety of activities involving the arts in recent years.  Each winner will receive a specially commissioned work of art.
 
All nominees and winners will be publicly recognized at a banquet on Wednesday, October 24th, 2007, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
 
Individuals, businesses, and representatives of arts and cultural organizations may nominate a Tampa Bay business or individual for the 2007 "Business in the Arts" or "Individual Business Volunteer" Awards, respectively.  Businesses and individuals are also welcome to nominate themselves for an award.
 
Winners will be awarded based on a company's or individual's demonstrated support of the arts throughout past years.  However, activities in recent years certainly strengthen the effectiveness of the nomination.  Please submit one nomination per form. Additional pages of supporting material may be attached.  Please limit nomination to 3 pages typed (not including supplemental material).
 
All nominations must be received in the TBBCA office by noon, Thursday, September 7, 2007.  Ten complete sets of copies must be submitted at that time.  Please paper clip; do not staple. No facsimile entries will be accepted. If you would like to have this form sent to you via  e-mail or if you would like to request to have forms mailed to you, please contact the TBBCA office at (813) 221-2787 or tbbca@tbbca.org

Download the nomination form here!

On Wednesday, November 8, 2006, representatives from businesses and cultural institutions from across the Bay gathered at the Mahaffey Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts to celebrate their successful partnerships during the past year. The Business in the Arts Awards recognize and honor those individuals and businesses that have given significant support to the cultural community. Through their investments in these organizations, companies and their employees increase accessibility to the arts, enrich the lives of the area's children and enhance quality of life while they strengthen the local economy and create a better business environment. Each award recipient was presented with a textured, hand-painted abstraction created by local artist, Rocky Bridges.
Business in the Arts Awards were presented to the following companies:
* Bank of America received the award for contribution to its nominator, Ruth Eckerd Hall and for additional support with their most recent initiative, the Neighborhood Excellence Program
* Florida Health Care News supports the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center by sponsoring fundraising events, such as the Broadway Ball and the Best of Tampa Bay and providing in-kind services.
* Prime Development was recognized for its cash contributions and promotional support of the Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Individual Business Volunteer Awards were presented to the following individuals:
* Dr. William Heller of USF St. Petersburg Campus is an active and personal supporter of Great Explorations. His support also includes the Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Dunedin Fine Art Center, Palladium Theater and the Pinellas County Arts Council
* John Roll of JDR Technology Consulting has been extremely involved with Florida Craftsmen for over fifteen years and was the organizations' interim director. He has partnered with Creative Clay, Florida Humanities Council, Dunedin Fine Arts Center and The Pier Aquarium.
* Franci Rudolph of the National Association of Securities Dealers has been involved with numerous local cultural institutions. Her support has included the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Florida Holocaust Museum and Tampa Museum of Art.

Other nominees for the Business in the Arts Awards were: First Advantage Corporation and Think Tank Studio. Other nominees for the Individual Business Volunteer Awards included: Diane Bailey, P.A., Charlie Britton of M & I Bank, Alan Ciamporcero of Verizon and Peter Hobson of Pepin Distributing, Kimberly Finn of Win Now Enterprises, Ken Hamilton of Palm Pavilion and James Martin, P.A. Congratulations once again to all the nominees!!!

We would like to thank our presenting sponsors: The Arts, ANB Enterprises and BSR Group, and our platinum sponsors: Akerman Senterfitt, Carlton Fields, Citigroup, Ferman Motor Car Company, Doug and Lorna Gregory, Gunn Printing, St. Petersburg Times, Target, TECO Energy, Walter Industries and WUSF Broadcasting.