Nominate your favorite Royal Oak artist! The Royal Oak Commission for the Arts is accepting nominations for the 4th Annual Community Arts Award. The award is presented during the Celebration of the Arts festival. Nomination forms will be available through Mar. 12 on the city’s website at romi.gov/art.
The Community Arts Award is given annually to individuals from the Royal Oak community who have made substantial contributions to promoting art and culture in Royal Oak. Previous submissions have included musicians, dancers, sculptors, and painters. Created in 2015, the past winners of the award have included Royal Oak residents such as Bob Jones, Susan Wedley and Rose Marie Floyd.
According to Jason Gittinger, chair of the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts, “We are so lucky in Royal Oak to have some amazing artists that do so much for the community here in Royal Oak. The commission for the arts is proud to get the honor, and challenge, to highlight only one each year. While some artists are notable in public, often many make a huge impact on countless lives without recognition. This call for nominees is a way for the community to lift up some of those awesome leaders and give them the spotlight they deserve.”
The Celebration of the Arts is an annual event to celebrate artistic contributions made by residents of Royal Oak. The event began as a celebration of the middle school being awarded a new sound system for its auditorium. Since its inception, it has grown to the premier community event to showcase locally produced art.
The City of Royal Oak recognizes the importance of arts and culture to a vibrant, healthy, and sustainable community. The Royal Oak Commission for the Arts was created in 2012 to support arts and culture in the City of Royal Oak. The commission holds events such as the Summer Concert Series, Art Explored, and East 11 Mile Road Public Art Program.