The Arts Alliance Mountain Empire announces the 2023 winners of its 9thannual Arts Achievement Awards. They are Kellie Brown, Jason Flack, Dottie Havlik, Ann Holler and Lisa Withers.
Brown has been a member of the Milligan University music faculty since 1998 and holds the positions of chair of the Music Department, Professor of Music, and the conductor of the Milligan Orchestra. She recently received world-wide acclaim for her book, ”The Sound of Hope: Music as Solace, Resistance, and Salvation during the Holocaust & World War II.”
Flack is a self-taught urban street artist (as he describes himself) from Johnson City, Tennessee. His art has bold black lines, bright colors, cartoonish in style yet realistic, reflecting powerful emotions. He has exhibited in recent months in the “Black Diaspora: From Africa to Appalachia to Affrilachia” at Slocumb Galleries in Johnson City and the “Humor Me” exhibit a William King Museum of Art in Abingdon.
Havlik has been associated with Theatre Bristol for many years. She has performed in many productions and has served on their board. She helped create Theatre Bristol’s radio drama program “Don’t Touch That Dial!” and in recent years worked with the combined Theatre Bristol and River’s Way collaborations. Her day jobs have included heading the local Red Cross and currently serving as president of Family Promise.
Holler is a well-known musician, composer, teacher and arts advocate. She has taught piano lessons to many students from her home and college music courses at King University and ETSU. Her compositions have been performed around the world. She is the founding President of the Arts Alliance Mountain Empire and many years served “A! Magazine of the Arts” as its co-chair.
Withers is currently the Dean of the School of the Arts and Sciences at Emory & Henry College. She came as a music faculty member in 2002 and taught piano, music theory, music history, and other courses. She has performed around the United States. Her past roles have included serving as the Director of the McGlothlin Center for the Arts and the Chair of the Division of Visual and Performing Arts.
A Gala awards ceremony will be held Saturday, May 20 at the Delta Hotel by Marriott (the former Holiday Inn) in Bristol, Virginia, to honor the winners. The Gala consists of a social hour, dinner, entertainment, a silent auction and the awards ceremony. Tickets are $100 for individuals, and tables for eight can be purchased for $800.
For tickets, purchase them on the website of the Arts Alliance Mountain Empire (under the Gala tab) or send a check to AAME Gala, Box 94, Bristol, TN 37621.
