Arts Council Silicon Valley announced that 28 local businesses and individuals will be honored at the biennial 2008 Silicon Valley Arts & Business Awards (ABBYs) Luncheon on Friday, October 17, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara. These honorees will be recognized at the valley’s premier arts philanthropy event, which celebrates those who have made significant financial and volunteer contributions to the arts in Silicon Valley during the past two years.
Nominations are submitted by local arts and cultural organizations and one outstanding award will be presented live at the event in each of following four categories: Large Business Support, Small Business Support, Individual Contributor and Outstanding Volunteer.
In addition, A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Irene Dalis, Founder and General Director, Opera San Jose for her artistic and leadership contributions to arts in Silicon Valley over the past 25 years. Dalis joins a prestigious list of past recipients that include Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado, the Sobrato Family, Peter Hero, Jim and Pat Compton, the Hewlett Foundation, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and David Packard. Ms. Dalis is the first artist to receive this award. To learn more about Irene Dalis and the award, click here.
“The past two years have provided some major challenges for arts and cultural organizations in Silicon Valley,” said Bruce W. Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley. “The purpose for this event is to bring light to the fact that we cannot and are not doing this alone. Each and every individual and corporation that has been nominated deserves credit and recognition for their support of our exceptional arts community.”
The luncheon will be held on Friday, October 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $70 per person with a limited number of nonprofit tickets available. For more information about the ABBYs, including sponsorships and to order tickets, visit the website at www.artscouncil.org/abbys or call (408) 998-2787 ext. 208.
The following nominees will be honored at the 2007 Silicon Valley Arts & Business Awards:
Large Business Support
- Adobe Systems, Inc.
(nominated by Zero 1)
- Applied Materials, Inc
(nominated by City Lights Theatre Co. of San Jose & Triton Museum)
- Comcast
(nominated by San Jose Jazz)
- Downey Savings
(nominated by Campbell Heritage Theatre)
- Target
(nominated by SJ Children’s Musical Theater and SJ Museum of Art)
- Target Stores
(nominated by Mexican Heritage Corporation)
Small Business Support
- Eulipia Restaurant & Bar
(nominated by City Lights)
- Gentry Magazine
(nominated by Peninsula Youth Theatre)
- Kirkorian Enterprises, Kirkwood Plaza
(nominated by Campbell Heritage Theatre)
- Star One Credit Union
(nominated by American Musical Theatre)
- Threxy, Inc.
(nominated by Children’s Musical Theatre San Jose)
- Two Fish Design
(nominated by Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana)
- University Art
(nominated by Community School of Music & Arts)
Individual Contributor
- Jim Lewis
(nominated by City Lights Theater Co. of San Jose)
- Yvonne and Mike Nevens
(nominated by San Jose Museum of Art)
- Arturo Riera
(nominated by San Jose Jazz)
- Joshua Swanbeck
(nominated by San Jose Institute for Contemporary Art)
- Mary Turner-Gilliand
(nominated by San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles)
Outstanding Volunteer
- Robert Corpus
(nominated by History San Jose)
- Andrea (Andy) Cunningham
(nominated by Zero 1)
- Debbie Czyzewski
(nominated by The Music School)
- Sue Krumbein
(nominated by TheatreWorks)
- Museum Store Guild
(nominated by San Jose Museum of Art)
- Jodi Porter
(nominated by American Ice Theatre Board of Directors)
- David Preston
(nominated by Ballet San Jose)
- Saratoga Rotary
(nominated by Carol Hutchinson & Gillian Moran)
- Kathy Sullivan
(nominated by South Valley Quilt Association)
- Chris Worrall
(nominated by San Jose Repertory Theater)
Sponsors for the event include Adobe, Applied Materials, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, Classical 102.1 KDFC, and NBC 11, among others. The proceeds from this event benefit Arts Council Silicon Valley, which annually supports more than 600 local arts and cultural organizations throughout Santa Clara County.
