2013 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award Recipients

Alameda Arts CommissionAmerican Steel Studios is proud to announce that Karen Cusolito has been selected to receive the 2013 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award for District 5, Supervisor Keith Carson. Seventeen outstanding individuals were nominated for this year’s program. 

The Alameda County Arts Leadership award is designed to acknowledge the commitment of the nominees and award recipients for their commitment to enhancing the quality of life in Alameda County, for providing leadership in the arts, and serving as a role model to others.

Karen Cusolito is the Founder of American Steel Studios and has long been respected in this community for her leadership, vision, creativity, and seemingly tireless dedication to Oakland. Her vision for Oakland includes a strong thread of it’s unique history and it’s potential for an extraordinary future. She believes in our community and has been an exemplary resident, neighbor, artist, leader, and contributor here in the Bay Area for over 20 years, and in Oakland since 2005. While news of  receiving this award was a surprise and an honor to her, the rest of us are simply honored and delighted that she was recognized in this way.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Alameda County Arts Commission, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and all the community members who submitted nominations so that all may be recognized for the importance of their work.

The award recipients will be honored by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors through a commendation ceremony presented in conjunction with the County’s celebration of California Arts Day and National Arts and Humanities Month on Tuesday, September 24, 2013.

We want to take a moment and recognize the 2013 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award Recipients:
Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District One (Supervisor Scott Haggerty):
Jim Schmidt
Board President, Livermore Valley Opera, Livermore
Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District Two (Supervisor Richard Valle):
Kevin T. Cato
Director of Instrumental Music, Mt. Eden High School, Hayward
Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District Three (Supervisor Wilma Chan):
Jill McLennan
Community Artist and Arts Educator, Oakland
 
Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District Four (Supervisor Nate Miley):
Jean Bidwell
Public Art Artist and Arts Advocate, Castro Valley
 
Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District Five (Supervisor Keith Carson):
Karen Cusolito
Public Art Artist and Founder of American Steel Studios, West Oakland
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors commendation ceremony will take place during the Board’s public meeting on Tuesday, September 24, 2013. The Board of Supervisors meeting will begin at 10:45am and will end at approximately 12:00 noon. The event will take place at the Alameda County Administration Building, Board Chambers, 1221 Oak Street, 5th floor, Oakland. Friends and family members of the award recipients are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Rachel Osajima at (510) 271-5162 or rachel.osajima@acgov.org.
For more information about this program or the award recipients and their achievements, please contact the Alameda County Arts Commission Office at (510) 208-9646 or by email at artscommission@acgov.org.