Past Honorees
Since its inception, The pARTy! has celebrated the artists, organizations, and cultural champions who make our community vibrant and inspiring. Each year's honorees represent the breadth and depth of creativity flourishing throughout Washtenaw County. These remarkable individuals and organizations have shaped our cultural landscape, enriched our neighborhoods, and reminded us of the power of creativity to bring people together. Browse through the years to discover the stories of those who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to our creative community.
Lifetime Acheivement
Presented in recognition of outstanding and sustained artistic and creative accomplishments within the arts, sciences, and/or humanities, receiving national and/or international acclaim.
Ron Brooks began his jazz career in Ann Arbor, earning degrees from Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan, and gained early recognition when his Bob James Trio won the Notre Dame Inter-Collegiate Jazz Festival, leading to a Mercury Records deal arranged by Quincy Jones. He recorded with the Contemporary Jazz Quintet for Blue Note and Strata Records, then founded the Bird of Paradise Jazz Club in Ann Arbor in 1984, where he presented jazz legends and performed alongside them for over 20 years. Brooks also directed the Dispute Resolution Center, applying his Education Psychology degree.
John Nick Pappas is a renowned artist, sculptor, and professor whose bronze sculptures dot the Michigan landscape, including works at Eastern Michigan University, University of Michigan, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Detroit headquarters. He has exhibited throughout Europe and the United States, creating commissioned pieces for corporations, healthcare organizations, community groups, and private individuals, earning numerous prizes and awards for his inspiring dual career as both professor and artist.
George Shirley is a vocalist and musician of extraordinary talent who broke numerous color barriers, including becoming the first African American to teach music in a Detroit high school, the first African American member of the United States Army Chorus, and the first African American tenor (and second African American male) to sing leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera, where he performed for eleven years. Professor Shirley is a recipient of the National Medal of the Arts, multiple Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades for his groundbreaking career that has taken him across the globe.
Willis C. Patterson, a renowned vocal artist, activist, and educator, broke color barriers with his pioneering 1963 NBC appearance in Amahl & The Night Visitors and became the first African American professor hired by the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He founded the Our Own Thing Chorale in 1969 and remains active with it today, inspiring countless young talents to pursue careers in music and other creative fields through his passionate dedication to developing emerging artists.
Grammy Award-winning harmonica virtuoso Peter Madcat Ruth, inspired by Sonny Terry and mentored by legendary Big Walter Horton, has established an international reputation that Performance Magazine describes as "rapidly approaching legend status." He has performed with various folk, blues, and jazz groups including Chris Brubeck's New Heavenly Blue and formed the duo Madcat & Kane with guitarist Shari Kane.
William (Bill) Bolcom and Joan Morris, the duo Bolcom & Morris, have recorded 25 albums and delighted worldwide audiences performing songs from the ragtime era through the 20th century while serving as generous creative collaborators and mentors at the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Bolcom, a composer of concertos, sonatas, operas, symphonies, and cabaret songs, has earned the National Medal of the Arts, Pulitzer Prize, Grammy Award, and Composer of the Year honors during his 35-year tenure as Ross Lee Finney Distinguished University Professor of Composition. Morris, a mezzo-soprano chanteuse praised by the Chicago Tribune for projecting "not just a song, but the character singing it" with her "irresistibly funny and winning personality," taught voice and musical theater at UM from 1981-2009 and recently released her book Let Me Sing and I'm Happy: The Memoir and Handbook of a Singing Actress through Pendragon Press.
Linda Yohn served as music director at WEMU 89.1 FM, Eastern Michigan University's National Public Radio station in Ypsilanti, since 1987, earning recognition as JazzWeek magazine's 2017 National Jazz Presenter of the Year and National Jazz Programmer five times since 2008. Her exceptional contributions to jazz broadcasting have been honored with the Duke Dubois Jazz Humanitarian Award, Willis Conover/Marian McPartland Award for Jazz Journalism from the Jazz Journalists Association, and National Jazz Presenter of the Year from Jazzlz, while she also co-founded the Southeast Michigan Jazz Association and Riverside Arts Center.
Ypsilanti native Carla Dirlikov Canales is an award-winning opera singer praised by Opera Magazine for her voice that "grabbed the heartstrings with its dramatic force and musicality," having performed at prestigious venues worldwide including Carnegie Hall, Royal Opera House, China's National Center for the Performing Arts, and Teatro del Lago in Chile. An adamant advocate for arts education and cultural entrepreneur, she founded The Canales Project to use the arts to address cultural divisions threatening society. Educated from elementary school through the University of Michigan in Washtenaw County, she credits the generosity of teachers, mentors, and her parents—still residing in Ypsilanti—for shaping her career and feels deeply connected to the community.
World-renowned, award-winning author Loren Estleman was born, raised, educated and continues to live in Washtenaw County. With a specialty in American West and criminal history writing, Estelman has produced nearly 100 books, short stories and newspaper book reviews for The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others. Over his career he has received 20 national writing awards including most recently the Private Eye Writers of America award for lifetime achievement for his work “The Eye.”
Jeff Daniels is a Chelsea native and worldwide acclaimed actor, playwright, songwriter, director, producer, and theater founder who has won and been nominated for prestigious awards including the Tony, Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Despite achieving national fame after attending Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan Universities, he remained loyal to his hometown, raising his children there and founding The Purple Rose Theatre Company in Chelsea in 1991 as a creative home for theater artists to define the collective Midwestern voice and for emerging and seasoned professionals to practice their craft. He generously shares his multifaceted artistry with Washtenaw County audiences through performances of his music, plays, and films at the Purple Rose Theatre, The Ark, the Michigan Theater, and other local venues.
Outstanding Service
Presented in recognition of outstanding and sustained artistic and creative accomplishments within the arts, sciences, and/or humanities, receiving national and/or international acclaim.
Ann Arbor native Mike Farah moved to Hollywood after college, where he overcame being fired from his first job as a food expeditor to join Will Ferrell's Funny or Die in 2008 as its first producer, eventually becoming CEO in 2016. Under his leadership, Farah transformed the fledgling social media production company into a full-service independent studio known for comedy with a social conscience, producing acclaimed works including two-time Emmy-winner Between Two Ferns, Peabody Award-winning American Vandal, Billy on the Street, and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. His mission focuses on making people laugh while inspiring critical thinking and social change.
Deb Polich, president and CEO of Artrain and Creative Washtenaw, retired at the end of 2024 after a 38-year career championing the arts that began at Ann Arbor's Michigan Theater in 1986 and continued when she became Artrain's leader in 1993, guiding the museum-on-a-train to national acclaim including the National Medal for Museum Service presented by Mrs. Laura Bush in 2006. In 2013, she took on a dual role at Creative Washtenaw, a regional agency supporting artists, creative workers, and organizations across the county, while also hosting the award-winning creative:impact show on 89.1 WEMU and serving on various boards including Michigan Works! Southeast. With a degree in arts management from Eastern Michigan University, Polich has been a tireless advocate for the creative sector through her professional work, volunteer service as Americans for the Arts Michigan state advocacy captain, and guest lectures at University of Michigan and EMU.
Founded in 1963, The Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) is the oldest experimental film festival in North America, introducing audiences to avant-garde cinema and earning international recognition through the thousands of filmmakers worldwide who have applied and exhibited at this revered event. The AAFF has continuously evolved over six decades to adapt to new technologies, sensibilities, artists, and multimedia art forms while maintaining its commitment to presenting cutting-edge experimental work.
Russ Collins celebrated his 40th anniversary as executive director of the Michigan Theater Foundation in November 2022, having transformed the organization from a fledgling enterprise into a thriving arts institution through the restoration and revitalization of both the historic Michigan Theater and the State Theatre. His collaborative leadership and curation of magical cinema and performing arts experiences attract close to 300,000 attendees annually to the venues, making a profound impact on the arts and creative community.
Since its first publication in 1976, The Ann Arbor Observer has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to area artists, graphic designers, and journalists, with its most anticipated monthly feature being commissioned art from local artists depicting scenes and events throughout the region. The publication offers top-notch journalistic coverage and a comprehensive calendar of arts and cultural events, making it the go-to source for town happenings.
Music teacher Bill Hayes and English teacher Verna Hayes founded the Ypsilanti Youth Orchestra (YYO) in 1997 to serve youth lacking access to public school orchestral programs, providing instruments, instruction, and musical experience until their retirement in 2020. Through persistence and dedication, they grew YYO into a program serving over 300 students across five southeastern Michigan counties, representing ethnicities from five continents.
Aaron P. and Afa S. Dworkin are an arts power couple and pioneering social entrepreneurs with an international reputation for advocating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the performing arts and leadership, jointly receiving the Kennedy Center's "Citizen Artist Award" for their transformational impact. Afa S. Dworkin serves as president and artistic director of the Sphinx Organization, the nation's leading organization transforming lives through diversity in classical music, and is recognized among Musical America's Top 30 Influencers and Detroit Crain's 40 Under 40. Aaron P. Dworkin founded the Sphinx Organization, is a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, serves on the National Council on the Arts, and is a former dean and current professor at the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
John Dingell served Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 59 years (1955-2015), the longest uninterrupted Congressional tenure in U.S. history, during which he championed the establishment of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and brought federal investment to arts, cultural, and historic venues throughout Washtenaw County and his district. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, representing Michigan's 12th District, sponsors the CREATE Act legislation, partnered with Ann Arbor native filmmaker Ken Burns on documentaries while president of the General Motors Foundation, and serves on Congressional art and STEAM caucuses. Together, the Dingells have built a lasting legacy as champions for the arts, creative industries, and historic preservation through both their personal advocacy and public service.
As the president of the University Musical Society (UMS), one of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, Ken Fischer has overseen the organization’s artistic growth over the course of three decades. This includes expanding and diversifying its programming, deepening its engagement with the university and local communities and creating partnerships with leading artists from around the world. Under his tenure, UMS was named a 2014 National Medal of Arts recipient, the first university presenter to receive this highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government.
As a leader in the creative industries, Masco has had a significant impact on the greater Ann Arbor area through decades of philanthropic investment in arts and culture and more recently by locating Masco Cabinetry in Washtenaw County. Masco Corporation supports organizations in Southeast Michigan with missions surrounding affordable housing, the arts, civic initiatives, culture, the environment and human service.
Destination Ann Arbor, formed through the 2015 merger of the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau Ann Arbor Observer, promotes the creative sector across the greater Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Washtenaw County region through press tours, marketing campaigns, and placemaking initiatives. The organization continues to dedicate programming to communities throughout the county, including campaigns like Ypsi Real WEMU, and has generated millions of dollars in media value through features in major publications such as The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, and The Huffington Post, while consistently advocating for the economic impact of arts and culture.
Philanthropic Excellence
"IGNITORS"
Recognizes those giving of their time, talents, and treasures to the arts, science, and humanities in Washtenaw County and beyond.
Jim Fleming, a founder of Black Sheep Repertory Theater in Manchester in the 1970s, established Fleming Artists in 1979, a touring artists agency that has represented renowned performers including Judy Collins, Jeff Daniels, Tom Paxton, Holly Near, and Joshua Davis, earning him respect as a mentor in the industry.
Eleni Kelakos, known as The Speaker Whisperer®, founded the Eleni Group in 2003 and uses performance techniques from her twenty-year career as a professional actor and award-winning singer/songwriter to coach speakers and business leaders at companies like General Motors, Allstate, and Little Caesar's Pizza. When not coaching, she delivers her signature keynote presentations at conferences nationwide, helping clients speak and present with greater charisma, confidence, and impact.
Lucie and Larry Nisson, local business owners and entrepreneurs, have a deep and impactful legacy as supporters of arts and creativity. As champions of several cultural organizations, they have supported many short and long term projects, some of which they initiated. Together, they started the Lucie and Larry Nisson Art in Public Program with the Ann Arbor Art Center. Their commitment to public art remains their priority and much of the colorful vibrancy in downtown Ann Arbor is due to their commitments.
Martha Darling and Gil Omenn arrived in Ann Arbor in 1997. Each carried impressive career credentials: Martha recently as a senior executive at Boeing and Gil newly appointed as CEO of the University of Michigan Health System. Their support of the arts began immediately and continues to run deep and create impact today. Together and individually, they have championed several organizations, supported many programs and projects, venues, led capital campaigns and served on boards and committees.
The Bank of Ann Arbor (BOAA), founded in 1996, has consistently supported area arts and cultural organizations, businesses, startups, venues, programs, and projects while producing the popular Sonic Lunch summer concert series in downtown Ann Arbor and displaying a collection of local artists' works throughout its branches. BOAA also encourages its leadership and staff to serve as volunteers on nonprofit boards and community committees throughout the region.
The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) has decades of legacy supporting arts and creativity through funding for start-ups, programs, venues, studies, and capital initiatives. Conscious of its leadership role in an ever-changing community, AAACF convenes community conversations to discuss and act on opportunities and challenges facing the arts and creative sector.
Bill and Mary Kinley have built a profound legacy as arts supporters across Washtenaw County communities, giving generously, serving on boards, mentoring staff, and volunteering with organizations including the Riverside Art Center, The Ark, Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum, Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (The Original), and Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Bill's business, Praxis Properties (formerly Phoenix Construction), has extended their creative impact through historic preservation and restoration work. Their example of community leadership is already influencing the next generation, as their children follow in their path of arts advocacy and support.
Drs. Robert (Bob) and Marina v.N. Whitman became deeply involved in the Ann Arbor arts community over 30 years ago, providing stewardship and generous investment of talent, time, and treasure to organizations including Great Lakes Performing Artists Associates, Michigan Theater, Artrain, and the Sterns Collection, while attending theater, music, film, and art events multiple times weekly. Bob Whitman is professor emeritus of English at the University of Pittsburgh specializing in drama, while Marina v.N. Whitman is professor emerita of business administration and public policy at the University of Michigan who served as a General Motors Corporation officer from 1979-1992, rising from vice president and chief economist to group executive for public affairs. Marina has also served as a director of several leading multinational corporations, bringing her extensive business expertise to her arts advocacy.
The family-run Buhr Foundation, established in Ann Arbor in 1953, has enhanced quality of life in the greater Ann Arbor area and Washtenaw County through its long-term mission supporting arts and culture, with family members providing financial support, behind-the-scenes work, and service as board members and volunteers. The Foundation's impact spans dozens of organizations including 826michigan, The Ark, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Fly Children's Art Center, Historical Society of Michigan, Neutral Zone, and Riverside Art Center, while also funding education, medical research, and community needs.
Founded in 1959 by long-time Ann Arbor residents Dr. Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley, the Towsley Foundation has impacted the greater Ann Arbor area through its leadership and investment in arts and culture programs and venues. The Foundation's generosity has benefited numerous Washtenaw County organizations including The Ark, Towsley Auditorium at Washtenaw Community College, the Michigan Theater, Neutral Zone, and the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
Together and individually, the Weisers serve as diplomats, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, civic leaders, cause leaders, artists, foundation founders, and mentors, generously lending their talents, time, and financial support to treasured institutions including the Michigan Theater, Artrain, NEW Center, The Henry Ford, and the Michigan Science Center. Their outstanding philanthropy and exemplary leadership have made a wide and deep impact on the creative sector that will last for generations.
