The Cowan Community Center has enjoyed the great honor of having been nominated for and receiving the Governor’s 2007-2008 Folk Heritage Award for their role in preserving and promoting Kentucky’s traditional arts. Many thanks to our previous Arts Coordinator, Susanne Savell, for the honor she bestowed upon the center by nominating us.
There are nine awards presented each year in the arts, and all of the nine recipients were honored at a special event in Frankfort’s Capital Rotunda in October. Following the public event, the recipients and their invited guests were honored at a luncheon in the Governor’s Mansion. All of the day’s activities were taped and later shown on a KET special presentation. In February, all of the recipients will again be honored by receiving a citation from the Kentucky Legislature. Being a recipient of such a prestigious award has given us a great recognition throughout Kentucky, and it affirms our belief that we are doing the right things with our mountain traditions. It has strengthened our belief that our music, dance, storytelling, quilting, and all of the activities we participate in have worth, and that persons from out of our region respect and value our work also. It has certainly been something we have used with pride when submitting grant proposals and applications for future funding. Again, thanks to Susanne Savell, for believing in the center enough to take the time and effort to nominate us. The events can be viewed on the following web links. http://artscouncil.ky.gov/07govaward/index.htm
The Governor’s remarks Video can be found on this page:
http://artscouncil.ky.gov/07govaward/letter.htm
Carol Ison, Director
Cowan Community Center