Arkansas Arts Council honored 2024 Governor's Arts Awards recipients at a luncheon March 8 at Robinson Center Performance Hall.
Patrick Ralston, executive director of the Arts Council, welcomed guests and noted that the event was a way to celebrate the importance of the arts and added that he always got a little star-struck at the annual event -- "a gathering of the heroes of the Arkansas Arts."
The honorees and their awards were Garbo Hearne of Little Rock, Arts Community Development Award; Virmarie DePoyster of North Little Rock, Arts in Education Award; General Mills in Rogers, Corporate Sponsorship of the Arts Award; Pam Setser of Mountain View, Folklife Award; Stephen Driver of Ozark, Individual Artist Award; Gay Bechtelheimer of El Dorado, Individual Artist Award; Tony Waller of Bentonville, Patron Award; and Charley Sandage of Mountain View, Lifetime Achievement Award.
Each honoree was given a unique pottery bowl created by artist Larry Pennington of Hot Springs.
The Arkansas Arts Council advances the arts in Arkansas by providing services and supporting arts endeavors that encourage and assist literary, performing and visual artists in achieving standards of professional excellence.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins