ArtsWestchester Announces Arts Award Honorees

[Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 3/5 to include the full list of award honorees. The Advancing Equity and Lawrence Salley Photography Awards were not yet announced at the original publishing date of this article on 2/7/23.]

For 47 years, ArtsWestchester has recognized people and organizations that have impacted the arts & culture in Westchester, from Ruby Dee to Nelson Rockefeller. This year is no different. With its thumb always on the pulse of what’s hot, the organization has announced this year’s Arts Award honorees. The list includes a singer who won one of the most coveted titles at this year’s Grammy Awards and the head of one of the biggest global brands.

The honorees will be spotlighted at ArtsWestchester’s annual Arts Awards Luncheon at the Brae Burn Country Club on April 19. Every year, the arts community, business community and local officials gather together to celebrate these honorees.

ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam says: “As audiences return to theaters, museums and film houses, there has never been a better time than now to recognize the comeback the arts have made and to celebrate our cultural stars.”

The 2023 Arts Awardees are:

Samara Joy, a rising American jazz singer and SUNY Purchase graduate who won two Grammy Awards this year: Best New Artist and Best Vocal Jazz Album;
Carole Alexis of Ballet des Amériques in White Plains, an internationally recognized dance choreographer presenting world-class performances;
Georgette Gouveia of White Plains, a seasoned writer covering the local cultural landscape with insight and information;
Farooq Kathwari of New Rochelle, President and CEO of Ethan Allen, an international humanitarian and business leader who has pursued artistic excellence and social justice throughout his career;
Westchester Children’s Chorus in Larchmont, recognized for their choral education and performance opportunities for students from grades 1 to 12;
The Picture House Regional Film Center in Pelham and Bronxville, a visionary organization bringing the best of filmmaking to the Westchester community;
Lisa Levart, an acclaimed photographer creating portraits with the Ramapough Lenape tribe;
Todd Shapera, a global photojournalist who documents the lives of the Cuban people;
The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center, a center that advocates for justice and positive change for all LGBTQ+ people;
Haifa Bint-Kadi, an artist and curator who has mentored many emerging artists from backgrounds historically underrepresented in arts institutions.

Langsam adds: “If you love the arts, it’s time to support them.” The proceeds of the 2023 Arts Award Luncheon will benefit ArtsWestchester’s cultural programs and services.

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.