2011 Silver Spring Town Center Awards

And The Winner Is……

FOR BEST NEW PROGRAM IN ARTS
The Silver Spring Town Center Arts Salon held its inaugural meeting in August 2011. Hosted by local author-singer-songwriter Mary Amato, the SSTCi Arts Salon is held monthly in the Silver Spring Civic Building and attended by authors, playwrights, musicians, photographers and painters.

FOR BEST NEW PROGRAM IN MUSIC
The Town Center Plaza Performances started in April 2011 with the jazz band, Groove Jet, led by SSTCi Board Member Don Berkemeyer. Over the course of the performance season, SSTCi hosted more than 70 acts of all musical genres. Of special note, SSTCi welcomed the Urban Nation Academy of Performing Arts production of “Broadway Meets Hip-Hop” to the Plaza Stage.

FOR BEST NEW PROGRAM IN DANCE
Salsa on the Plaza hosted by Ricardo Loaiza, Executive Director of the After School Dance Program and Altheia Grey-McKensie of the White House Studios. More than 100 people attended the salsa dance classes on the Plaza.

FOR BEST PROGRAM SERVING VETERANS
The 4th Annual “Tribute to America’s Veterans Concert was held on November 11, 2011 in the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building. This year’s concert, attended by County Executive Isiah Leggett, featured National Endowment of the Arts honoree Warner Williams, and the popular Greater U Street Jazz Collective. Attendees also enjoyed a presentation by the champion salsa team of Albert Einstein High School, Titanes Salsernos. SSTCi honored Vietnam Veterans America, Chapter 641 and Hero Dogs, Inc.

FOR BEST FESTIVAL
The 3rd Annual Silver Spring Blues Festival at Downtown Silver Spring was held in June 2011. The 2011 festival, in partnership with the DC Blues Society, on two stages, featured our first national act, The Kinsey Report, as well as performances from the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. Festival sponsors included Comcast, Monument Bank, Anheuser Bush, Barwood Transportation, Lee Development Group, Montgomery Community Television, and the Fenton Street Market.

FOR BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT
On September 15, 2011, Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. & Montgomery County Government finalized a Memorandum of Understanding that empowers SSTCi to foster greater community access to the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza, and to provide community-based arts & entertainment programming.

FOR BEST NEW TALENT
In, 2011, SSTCi welcomed its new Executive Director Lisa Martin, and new Board Members, Gloria Bonilla, Dr. Rickey Payton, Sr., and Lorrie Knight-Majors.

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