by Joe Jennison

We celebrated the 2007 Icky Awards last night – 14 awards were handed out in 13 categories for innovation and excellence in cultural programming.

And the Icky goes to:

Educational Programming: “Got on Boards” – Access Iowa, Mount Mercy College SIFE, United Way of East Central Iowa Young Leaders Society, United Way of Johnson County, The James Gang, Leadership for Five Seasons and the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center

Visual Arts Programming: “Hidden Treasures: Original Children’s Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library” – Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

History Programming: “A Community of Writers: Creative Writing at the University of Iowa” – Old Capitol

Children’s Programming: “Indonesia: Land of Diversity featuring The Many Colors of Islam” – The Iowa Children’s Museum

Dance Programming: “The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River” – Hancher Auditorium

Theater Programming: “Angels in America Parts 1 and 2” – Theatre Cedar Rapids

Music Programming: “Ushers Ferry Folk Festival” – Ushers Ferry Historic Village

Festival Programming: A TIE! “Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival/Unstaged” – Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and The James Gang; and “Iowa Arts Festival” – Summer of the Arts

Touring Events Programming: “The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River” – Hancher Auditorium

Collaborative Award (Between ICCA Members): “Hidden Treasure: Original Children’s Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library” – Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Reaching Out Collaborative Award (Between ICCA Members and Non-ICCA Members) “Corridor Concierge Desk at the Eastern Iowa Airport” – Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau, Blue Strawberry Coffee Company, Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau, City of Cedar Rapids, Eastern Iowa Airport, Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance

Larry Eckholt Award: June Braverman

North Corridor Advocate Award: Chuck Peters

Attached is a portion of my speech from last night….

Hello partner! Welcome to the 2^nd Annual Icky Awards.

My name is Joe Jennison and I am the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 131 arts and culture organizations in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area, and I am so glad you’re here.

Tonight we honor innovation and excellence in cultural programming and what a year the Corridor’s cultural community has had. We watched the Joffrey dance across the state, we welcomed a $500,000 renovation at 5 Turner Alley and the release of a Hollywood movie made in our own backyard. This past year, we were fascinated by Wiederspan boxes, the cats of the Chait Galleries downtown and intrigued by a historical exhibit devoted to Iowa’s writers. This community rallied to save four pieces of historic art, and we saw two – count them two – productions of The Full Monty. The AIDs Quilt was displayed on this very stage and our beloved Iowa Arts Festival celebrated 25 years and our beloved Marion Arts Festival celebrated 15 years. We participated in a Vietnamese Tet Festival at the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts and an interactive Gospel performance at the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa. We saw a one-of-a-kind music festival in New Bohemia and watched Iowa City’s Young Footliters turn 25 with a rousing tribute to show tunes. I had a wonderful time this year helping to carry a giant puppet through the Houby Days parade, laughing all the way through the University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts summer comic operas, twisting and shouting with the Cedar Rapids Symphony and salsa dancing across the Eastern Iowa Airport. Gosh I love this job.

Tonight, gathered with us are politicians and business and community leaders, family and friends and dozens of us who work and volunteer and appreciate living and working in the state’s primary destination for arts and culture. And all of us gathered here are the winners tonight because we are proof that arts and culture matter in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. Thank you so very much for coming.