Several Tucson Artists Win At Governor's Arts Awards

TUCSON, AZ — The artistic community of Tucson was well represented at Friday's 40th annual Governor's Arts Awards event.

Tucson Unified School District mariachi and guitar instructor John Contreras was named the arts educator of the year by Arizona Citizens for the Arts, who hosts the event.

Another Tucsonan recognized at the event was anthropologist and folklorist Maribel Alvarez, who received the 2021 Shelley Award.

Tucson's Priscilla Baldwin was recognized for her philanthropy, capping off the list of local winners at the award show.

Among Tucson-based organizations, Dancing in the Streets, which was named a finalist the small arts organization category, ahead of the likes of Phoenix's Sounds Academy and Young Arts Arizona LTD.

Other Tucson residents that were honored at Saturday's event were Lisa Falk, who was among the educators recognized, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which placed among large arts organizations, behind Phoenix's Black Theatre Troupe and The Nash Jazz Club.

The 2021 winners were chosen by an independent committee from 24 finalists from 10 Arizona communities.

More than 250 artists, individuals, cultural organizations, businesses and philanthropists have won Governor's Arts Awards dating back to the event's founding in 1981.

Correction: A previous version of this story said that Dancing in the Streets finished first overall in their category. The story has been updated to say that the organization was a finalist in their category.