Saturday, March 7, 2020, The Flagstaff Arts Council announced the winners of the 2020 Viola Awards to full ballroom of 600+ patrons at the High Country Conference Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. Now in its 12th year, The Viola Awards is an annual event to celebrate excellence in the arts and sciences in Flagstaff.
Nine awards were presented at the gala. In addition were two Legacy Award recipients, Shonto Begay and Paul Keim, both recognized for their exceptional service, outstanding dedication and life-long achievement in the arts or sciences.
To celebrate the 12th annual Viola Awards, the Arts Council teamed with local artists and musicians to create an especially dynamic evening of celebration. The event opened with musical selections by local DJ Emmet White and a performance by Flagstaff High School Marching Band as directed by Shayne Smith (who went on to receive the Excellence in Education award later in the evening). Navajo textile weaver Amy N. Begay created stunning hand-woven awards for each award recipient.
See Gala Photos HERE
2020 Viola Award Winners
Excellence in the Performing Arts
FlagShakes: Indecent
Excellence in STEAM
Chris Luginbuhl
Excellence in Placemaking
Lowell Observatory: Giovale Open Deck Observatory