The Farmington Area Arts Awards recognize outstanding contributions of artists and art organizations in Farmington Hills and Farmington

 

The City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division and the Farmington Area Arts Commission (FAAC) are proud to announce the winners of the annual Farmington Area Arts Awards. The awards honor contributions of local artists, arts organizations, businesses and volunteers that encourage creativity in the community. 

Community members are invited to celebrate with the winners at a public reception and ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 28 at The Hawk Theatre Blackbox. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the ceremony at 7 p.m. Tickets are free to reserve at TheHawkTheatre.com. The Hawk Theatre is located inside The Hawk, the City’s award-winning recreation and arts venue, at 29995 W. 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills.

“Farmington Hills is a city that values the many benefits of the arts, so much so that the arts are considered an essential service,” said Rachel Timlin, cultural arts supervisor for the City of Farmington Hills Special Services Department. “Recognizing the contributions of creatives in the community through this awards program allows the City to thank artists for helping to keep the City of Farmington Hills vibrant, colorful and creative, while exposing diverse populations to visual and performing arts.”

The Farmington Hills and Farmington community is home to many accomplished artists, cultural organizations, events and successful cultural programs. Through this awards program, the community recognizes talented individuals in visual art, drama, dance, literature, music, photography, film, music and more. In 2024, the awards program includes new categories to recognize contributions of community organizations, businesses, volunteers and youth to the arts. Awardees were nominated by community members to receive recognition.

Winners of the 2024-2025 Farmington Area Arts Awards include:

·         Debbie Lim, a multi-disciplinary artist, who was selected as the 2024-2025 Farmington Area Artist-in-Residence. As the Artist-in-Residence, Lim will work with the City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division to showcase work throughout the year.

·         Craig Nowak, who was selected as the recipient of the Nancy Coumoundouros Distinguished Service to the Arts Award. As the manager of Gesher Human Services’ Creative Expressions Program, Nowak provides meaningful arts experiences to community members with developmental disabilities and mental illness.

·         Peter Brandal, a junior at Farmington High School, who will be recognized as the winner of the new Youth Art Award. Brandal has been painting since 3^rd grade and has been a featured artist in Kids Art Alley at ART on the GRAND for the past four years.

·         Richard Adams, who was selected as Arts Volunteer of the Year for generously donating his time and creativity to the community, as a member of the Farmington Art Foundation and a dedicated supporter of arts programming in Farmington Public Schools.

A number of local organizations and businesses are also being recognized for their efforts to encourage creativity in the community, including KickstArt Farmington, Artpack Services, Skep Space, and Apothecary Espresso and Coffee.

The City of Farmington Hills has the largest dedicated municipal Cultural Arts Division in Michigan, which coordinates diverse year-round programming for community members of all ages, abilities, interests and backgrounds in visual and performing arts. The Cultural Arts Division also includes The Hawk Theatre and The Hawk Makerspace, an immersive creative and technical shared studio. 

The FAAC works with the Cultural Arts Division to support efforts to ensure that arts and cultural heritage are integral components of daily life in Farmington Hills and Farmington. The FAAC is committed to arts promotion and advocacy and serves as a conduit between local government and the arts community. Established in 1976, the Commission consists of individuals appointed by the Farmington Hills and Farmington City Councils. A complete list of past award recipients is available on the City’s website.

For more information, contact the City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division at 248-473-1850.    

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