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Community Awards

2024 Arts Person of the Year and 2024 Fine Arts Educator Announcement at Celebration of the ARTS!

Nominations for the Arts Person of the Year award are being accepted until January 26, 2024. 

This award was created in 2014 by the Arts Council to recognize those who have made a significant positive impact on the arts in Stanly County, and who have worked diligently to support, promote, and create quality arts experiences for the whole community. 

Anyone who lives or works in Stanly County can nominate someone for this award. The nominees should also live or work in Stanly County and should meet the previously mentioned award criteria. 

Winner will be announced at the upcoming Celebration of the Arts, Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center.  The Awards Ceremony will be held at 12 pm.  The Celebration of the Arts is open to the public from 9 am – 2:00 pm . The recipient of the Arts Person of the Year award will be honored with a $250 donation to the arts group of their choosing in Stanly County.


Stanly County Arts Council Hall of Fame

2014 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Lori Watson, Music Teacher at Stanfield & Locust Elementary

2014 Arts Person of the Year: Charlotte Maness

2015 Fine Arts Educator of the Year:  Michelle Osborne, Central Elementary Art Teacher

2015 Arts Person of the Year: Angela Moore

2016 Arts Person of the Year: Wes Tucker

2016 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Stacy Bottoms, West Stanly Middle School Art Teacher

2017 Arts Person of the Year: Carmella Hedrick

2017 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Jessica Alvarez Kiser, Albemarle Middle School Band Director

2018 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Frank Poolos, North Stanly Middle School & High School Band Director

2018 Arts Person of the Year: Tim Harris

2019 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Rebekah Crisco, North Stanly Middle School Visual Art Teacher

2019 Arts Person of the Year: John Williams

2020 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Derek Smith, West Stanly High School Band Director

2020 Arts Person of the Year: Aza Hudson

2021 Fine Arts Educator & Arts Person of the Year:

Honored all Stanly County Schools Visual Art, Music, and Theatre teachers (Elementary, Middle School & High School)

2022 Arts Person(s) of the Year: Kent Harkey & Edna Lipe-Harkey

2022 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Randy Fike, West Stanly High School Visual Art Teacher

2023 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Wanda Maness, South Stanly High School Visual Art Teacher

2023 Arts Person of the Year: Tim Hedrick

2024 Arts Person of the Year: Lisa Ewers

2024 Fine Arts Educator of the Year: Julie Starnes, Locust Elementary Visual Art Teacher


Stanly County Arts Council Partners