The Oak Park Area Arts Council Announces 2008 Joseph Randall Shapiro Award Recipient

Contact: Charity Piet
708.358.5693

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2008

The Oak Park Area Arts Council Announces
2008 Joseph Randall Shapiro Award Recipient

The Oak Park Area Arts Council is pleased to announce the recipient of the Joseph Randall Shapiro Award for 2008. This year’s recipient is the Oak Park Public Library. The library is being recognized for its dedication and commitment to bringing outstanding arts programming to the community. The Oak Park Public Library has collaborated and cooperated with many organizations over the last year to present various cultural programming series which explore topics in depth and are free to all ages. The library presents a wide variety of free, quality cultural programming in various media: film, the literary arts, music and dance. The library contributes to the appreciation of the visual arts with the largest permanent collection of contemporary American art available for public viewing in Oak Park. It also contributes to the well being of the visual arts community in the Oak Park area through monthly exhibitions in the wonderful gallery space. The building is beautiful and contributes to the architectural vibrancy of Oak Park.

Oak Park Public Library receiving the 2008 Joseph Randall Shapiro Award.

At the Arts Council’s Annual Meeting to be held on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at Pleasant Home, 217 Home Avenue in Oak Park, the Oak Park Public Library will accept the Joseph Randall Shapiro Award. Recipients of the award receive a cast bronze sculpture, created by Oak Park artist Geraldine McCullough. Past recipients of the prestigious award have been:

1996 – Joseph Randall Shapiro (deceased)
1997 – Tivoli Enterprises, Lake Theatre, Willis & Shirley Johnson
1998 – Harrison Street Arts Studios, Galleries & art-related businesses
1999 – Stephanie Clemens
2000 – Geraldine McCullough
2001 – Harriet Ilse Ziegenhals
2002 – President, Trustees, Clerk, Village Manager and all the employees of the Village of Oak
Park
2003 – Ellen Holleman
2004 – Jonathan Miller
2005 – Circle Theatre
2006 – John Lukehart (deceased)
2007 – William Fitzgerald

For more info or to make a reservation to the Arts Council’s Annual Meeting, please call 708.358.5693.

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Oak Park Area Arts Council
123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
Phone (708) 358-5690 • Fascimille (708) 383-6692 • E-mail: info@oakparkareaartscouncil.org.