Rosenstein, Ebertfest earn ACEs
In a press release issued Tuesday, October 23, the Champaign County arts council 40 North 88 West announced the winners of the 2007 ACE Awards, given to individuals, businesses, and organizations who demonstrate effective arts advocacy. You can visit this page to read all the details after we note the significance that, for the first time, ACEs have gone to the movies. Sort of.
During the October 18 awards ceremony at SOMA Ultralounge in Champaign, local documentary filmmaker Jay Rosenstein took home this year’s Media ACE for THE AMASONG CHORUS: SINGING OUT while Mary Susan Britt accepted the Spotlight ACE on behalf of Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival, now formally known as Ebertfest. A hearty C-U Blogfidential congratulations to both!
Unfortunately, I can’t do the same just yet for 40 North and its affiliates, who have now orchestrated three years of ACEs without establishing an official equivalent (to the best of my knowledge) that recognizes actual artistic achievement by those whom the council claims to support. Our community has no problem doing so elsewhere – the fabled music scene comes to mind – so what’s the hesitation here?
Oh, wait a minute. [Smacks forehead louder than a thunder clap.] We indirectly learned about this one already, didn’t we? Sorry, folks.
~ Jason Pankoke