Springfield Regional Arts Council honors ambassadors who promote and sustain the arts

The Springfield Regional Arts Council’s annual Ozzie Awards honor the remarkable individuals and organizations who have shaped the artistic landscape of the Ozarks. One of four new awards categories for this year’s event — Oct. 14 at Springfield-Branson National Airport — is Arts Ambassador.

This award highlights an individual or team that has taken an active role in building a sustainable and thriving ecosystem for the arts. The recipient of this award is someone who has worked tirelessly to create, promote, or support the arts and has made a significant impact on the local arts community.

This year’s nominees cover a broad spectrum in the community across visual art, the written word and the performing arts: Joshua Best, David Harrison, and Samuel Knox.

Joshua Best

Best has been nominated for championing the cause of artists and art organizations in the Ozarks. As Museum Affairs Officer for Audience Development at the Springfield Art Museum, he works to create engagement with museum exhibitions and programs. Under Best’s direction, the museum’s signature events have raised funds to preserve the collection and expand it for future generations to enjoy.

Q: Describe your proudest accomplishment so far.

J.B.: I am very proud of the work I have done to re-imagine the museum’s 99x Party as a community engagement event, and in bringing the Art In Bloom event model to the museum.

Since 2016, 99x has raised over $100,000 for art conservation and preservation projects touching 22 collection objects.

Art In Bloom has become our largest special event in attendance, welcoming approximately 6,000 visitors and raising over $40,000 for art acquisitions, adding 19 works of art to the museum’s permanent collection by LGBTQ+ artists and artists from a diverse range of cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

Q: How does the work you do contribute to and impact the local arts and culture community?

J.B.: I strive to increase accessibility, representation and intersectionality through my work. I have tried to center my work around breaking down barriers to the museum and building bridges to other artistic communities and art forms. I hope that my work helps others to feel like the museum is a place for them, despite any specific knowledge of visual art or art history, or any particular skill in art-making.

David Harrison

Harrison has written more than 100 books of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. He currently serves as Missouri’s Poet Laureate, working in this role to grow an appreciation of poetry and reading among children and adults across the state. He’s been sharing his love of poetry and writing for 50-plus years through library programs and public school partnerships, and more recently he’s shared daily Facebook posts to encourage interest in writing.

Q: How does the work you do contribute to and impact the local arts and culture community?

D.H.: I’ve been involved in our immediate community in a variety of ways since the early 1980s. I seldom say no to an organization looking for a speaker about writing. My programs and school visits always evolve from a desire to inspire my audience to read more, love words and learn to appreciate the stories tucked inside every word.

Q: In what ways have you worked to promote and support the arts?

D.H.: I’ve created three anthologies about our community. “What I’ve Learned So Far” was written by students and teachers in Springfield Public Schools. It raised $35,000 for the Foundation for Public Schools and funded a grant, which is given annually to a teacher who is teaching writing in the classroom.

I love it when thank-you notes from students (obligatory, teachers are teachers after all) tell me they want to be writers when they grow up. Knowing that I might have played even a small part in their decision gives me a great feeling of success.

Samuel Knox

Every year, the Springfield Multicultural Festival promotes cultural understanding and appreciation through music and dance performances that represent cultures from around the world. Knox has been instrumental in leading this festival for 27 years. He credits a faithful team of volunteers, with local government and corporate partners who help bring the event to life.

Knox is also a co-founder of UniteNews, the monthly publication that covers news directed toward African American and multi-racial families in southwest Missouri, founded in 1988.

Q: In what ways have you or your team worked to promote and support the arts?

S.K.: The Springfield Multicultural Festival offers a stage for cultural performances that might otherwise go unnoticed. By offering cultural presentations on and off stage, we help connect the audience with not only artistic expressions, but also important community resources, creating a more holistic experience for attendees.

Q: How does the work you do contribute to and impact the local arts and culture community?

S.K.: This festival contributes to bridging the gap between different racial and ethnic groups by creating a space where the community can come together to celebrate their traditions and heritage. The festival's presence addresses the limited opportunities for underrepresented communities to showcase their cultural richness and provide families with a fun and engaging way to celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

With our partnerships with Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield Art Museum and other exhibitors, we are also able to provide an important educational experience for our youth both locally and regionally.”

There will be several other awards handed out at the 38th Ozzie Awards, including Volunteer of the Year, and Randy Russell will be presented with the Bucky Bowman Lifetime Achievement Award. For more information on the Ozzie Awards, visit the Springfield Regional Arts Council website.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins is a freelance writer in Springfield who's eager to share stories about our unique and far-reaching arts scene and the people who make it all happen. More by Sarah Jenkins

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