Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Japan Art Association honors Sphinx with Grant for Young Artists

Photo: Sphinx Founder and President Aaron Dworkin with Japan Art Association Honorary Advisor David Rockefeller, Jr.

Today, the Japan Art Association honored the Sphinx Organization as its 2012 recipient of the Grant for Young Artists. Every year the Japan Art Association recognizes a group or institution that encourages the involvement of young people in the arts.  This global prize  was established in 1997 and previous winners of the Grant for Young Artists include the Kremerata Baltica, Southbank Sinfonia, and FESNOJIV (El Sistema). 

“We are honored by this award and to be in the company of these truly transformative artists,” said Aaron Dworkin, Sphinx Founder and President. 

The announcement was made as part of the 2012 Praemium Imperiale global arts prize press event held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Mr. Hisashi Hieda, chairman of the Japan Art Association, awarded a diploma and grant of 5 million yen to Mr. Dworkin who accepted on behalf of the Sphinx Organization in recognition of the Sphinx Organization’s commitment to youth development and its mission to transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Adé Williams, First Place Junior Division Laureate of the 15th Annual Sphinx Competition Presented by DTE Energy Foundation, performed and the Catalyst Quartet performed a piece by Philip Glass, this year’s Praemium Imperiale Laureate, honored for his contributions to contemporary music and composition. 

1 comment:

NYCJapaneseTeacher said...

That's phenomenal! African-American accomplishment and positive role models, Japanese artistic grants and classical music, all in the same place?! I love it :)