Cultural Arts 
MAYOR'S AWARD FOR THE ARTS
Every year, one individual and one arts organization of Evanston are recognized for their contributions to the community through demonstration of excellence in the arts.
Recipients are selected from nominations from the public at large.
The Awards are presented
at the Annual State of the City Address and Mayor’s Award for the Arts Luncheon.
Award Winners Announced
John Szostek and The Musical Offering were presented the 2007 Mayor’s Award for the Arts at the State of the City luncheon on February 22, 2008.
Mr. Szostek has been active in Evanston arts for many years. He is Executive Director of Evanston Festival Theater and, for the past 29 years, has spearheaded the Custer's Last Stand Festival for the Arts, held in June. In addition, Szostek has worked to make Piccolo Theatre and the Evanston Arts Depot integral pieces of the Evanston arts landscape.
Located at 743 Custer St., The Musical Offering is an intimate, nurturing music school and the musical partner of Oakton School. In addition to offering group and private lessons, the organization hosts the free Sunday Coffeehouse Series where faculty, students and special guests perform free for the community.
In the photo at right, Rick Ferguson of The Musical Offering accepts the Mayor's Award.
Past award recipients include Bea Rashid of Dance Center Evanston, Eve Alfille of the Alfille Bijoux d’Art, Art Encounter, Chie Curley and Barbara Goldsmith of Noyes Gallery, Mitchell 
Museum
of the American Indian, Light Opera Works, Northlight Theatre, Gus Giordano, North Shore Choral Society, Evanston Art Center, Evanston Symphony Orchestra, Barbara Blades, Ron Isaacson of Mindscape
Gallery, Susan A. Manning and the Music Institute of Chicago, just to name a few. The 2006 recipients were Richard Halstead and Open Studio Project.
The award is sponsored by the City of Evanston Cultural Arts Division and the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. The award winners received a framed colored etching by Elizabeth Ockwell (shown above).
New Leadership Award
The Evanston Arts Council’s Arts & Business Committee has named Whole Foods Market in Evanston the first recipient of its annual Leadership Award. The award honors an Evanston business that has been very supportive of the arts in Evanston, either financially or through the provision of in-kind services, or both.
The 2007 Leadership Award was presented to Whole Foods Market at the annual Mayor’s State of the City luncheon. The natural food store was chosen because of its ongoing financial and in-kind support of First Night Evanston and numerous other local arts organizations. “Whole Foods Market has shown consistent leadership and generosity,” said Arts & Business Committee co-chair Penny Rotheiser. “In the past two years, the Evanston store has contributed to more than 22 local arts groups and festivals.”
In the photo above, Kristen Kaza of Whole Foods Market accepts the Leadership Award, which features a scupltural object created by Chaos Glass Studio.
PARKS/FORESTRY& REC 
Cultural Arts 
Mayor's Award for Arts