The Awards Celebration spotlights the Philadelphia region’s Creative Community and its leaders, volunteers, artists, organizations, and partnerships, to illustrate the contribution of the arts to our city and its residents.
Hundreds of business, legal, technology, and creative professionals gather for an evening celebrating the exceptional leaders, partnerships, and volunteers who drive change and innovation in our communities.
Past Honorees
This prestigious award is bestowed upon an artist who has achieved national or worldwide acclaim, embodies artistic achievement, and serves as an inspiration to the Greater Philadelphia region both as an artist and a leader.
2019
Quiara Alegría Hudes, Playwright & Author
David B. Devan, General Director & President, Opera Philadelphia
2018
Joan Myers Brown, Founder, Philadanco!
Jane Golden, Founder, Executive Director, Mural Arts
Meryl Levitz, Founding President & CEO, Visit Philly
2017
Kevin Hart, Comedian, Actor, & Writer
2016
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter aka Black Thought, The Roots
2015
Gene Shay, WXPN, Philadelphia Folk Festival
2014
This honorable award is bestowed upon individuals in the Greater Philadelphia region who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the arts, culture, or creative sectors.
2019
Meegan Denenberg & Tayyib Smith, Co-founders, Little Giant Creative
2018
PNC Arts Alive + Regina Canfield
2017
Katherine Sachs and Keith L Sachs
2016
2015
2014
This award recognizes a visual and/or performing arts group that has successfully demonstrated an innovative approach to increasing arts access and engagement. PNC Arts Alive is a ten-year, $10-million program by The PNC Foundation designed to support visual and performing arts organizations. The goal is to increase engagement in the arts, expand audiences, and make the arts more accessible to diverse audiences in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and Southern New Jersey.
2019
Philadelphia Young Playwrights
2018
2017
Mural Arts Philadelphia (for 47 Stories)
2016
2015
2014
The Creative Economy Award for Distinction in a For-Profit Creative Field recognizes a successful creative economy business in the areas of growth, community, and innovation.
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
This award recognizes a successful partnership between a business and an arts or cultural organization that clearly demonstrates the roles of leadership from each party as well as their shared benefits.
2019
Integral Molecular and University City Science Center
2018
Reed Smith LLP + Village of Arts and Humanities
2017
2016
Century 21 Department Store + Moore College of Performing Arts & Design
2015
Elixr Coffee + Individual Artists / SEI + Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
2014
The Resources Exchange + Revolution Recovery / Philadelphia Airport + Regional Artists
*Starting in 2016, ABC consolidated the Large and Small partnership awards into a single partnership award.
This award recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of individual leaders in the creative economy who have invested in professional and personal development by completing the Designing Leadership curriculum. One program graduate will be recognized each year.
2019
Jessica Craft, Founding Executive Director, Rock to the Future
2018
2017
2016
This award recognizes individuals who have completed the CreativeXchange curriculum, who are successfully advancing the power of design thinking to innovate at work. One program graduate will be recognized each year.
2019
Alicia Karr, Executive Vice President and CFO, and the team at Meyer
Arts + Business Council Business On Board award winners are nominated by the arts clients they serve for outstanding service as a volunteer board leader. Business On Board trains business professionals to be effective nonprofit board members and then places them on boards of arts and cultural organizations. Business On Board also coaches arts managers and their boards on effectively recruiting, engaging, and retaining board members.
2019
Jennifer Pouchot, Vice President, Digital & Creative, SEI | Board: The Painted Bride
2018
Jeffrey Holder, Jeffrey Holder Photography | Board: InLiquid Art + Design
2017
Edmond Ghisu, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Board: Rock to the Future
2016
Frances Feldbaum, St. Clair CPA Solutions | Board: BalletX
2015
Karen Greene, Amerisource Bergen | Board: Philadelphia Young Playwrights
2014
Arts + Business Council PVLA award winners are nominated by the arts clients they serve for outstanding service as a pro bono volunteer. PVLA places volunteer attorneys who provide pro bono and low-cost legal assistance to help artists and arts and culture organizations address their arts-related legal issues.
2019
John Chionchio, Partner, Ballard Spahr, LLP and Patrick Brady, Attorney, Ballard Spahr, LLP | Volunteered with Intercept Nexus, LLC
2018
Robert Louis, Saul Ewing LLP | Volunteered with Whitemarsh Art Center
2017
Sekou Campbell, Law Offices of Sekou Campbell | Volunteered with Individual Artist Rashida Holmes
2016
Dennis McCooe, Blank Rome LLP | Volunteered with Danco Furniture
2015
Jonathan S. Ziss, Goldberg Segalla LLP | Volunteered with Individual Artist
2014
James Holman, Duane Morris | Volunteered with Individual Artist Joanna Manousis
The BVA award winner can be nominated by the arts clients they served, the nominated individual, or the nominated individual’s business, for outstanding service as a skills-based volunteer. BVA places business professionals as volunteer consultants with nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the areas of marketing, public relations, strategic planning, event planning, human resources management, and financial management.
2019
Angelina Sciolla, Executive Creative Director, Benchworks | Volunteered with Upper Darby Arts & Education Foundation
2018
William Haines, Pennsylvania Trust | Volunteered with ArtWell
2017
Christine Ostrowski, School District of Philadelphia | Volunteered with Rock to the Future
2016
Edward P. Pazicky, EPP Consulting | Volunteered with The Artblog, inc
2015
Audrey Klijan, Independent Consultant | Volunteered with Hedgerow Theatre
2014
David Othmer, WHYY | Volunteered with Upper Darby Arts & Education