During her decade of leadership, the Cleveland Arts Prize grew both in stature and visibility, with the annual ceremony held in a wide range of cultural gathering spots, and an increase in media coverage. A pair of annual scholarships was instituted to encourage the development of young artists, and a handsome Arts Prize medal was commissioned to be bestowed on all new and former honorees.

Distinguished and knowledgeable persons were invited to serve or continue serving on the various juries and on the governing board, and the highest standards of professionalism were maintained.

Most important, during the period of Mary Louise’s leadership, 49 individuals (architects, dancers and choreographers, playwrights, authors, poets, musicians, composers, painters, photographers, sculptors, weavers, patrons, educators, programmers and presenters, museum directors, and arts advocates) were recognized, along with a foundation, an orchestra, a school of the arts, and a university, for their contributions to the vitality of the cultural community of Greater Cleveland.

“These awards
...exist because artistic accomplishment is one of the things that most deeply interest this city.”

—Bruce Catton, author of A Stillness at Appomattox and 1972 winner of the Cleveland Arts Prize

Gifts to the Endowment in
Honor of Mary Louise Hahn

David & Jan Abbott
Lynn Abell
Acordia of Northeast Ohio
Ron Antonucci
Mary Lee Bowen
Jeanette Grasselli Brown
Pat Brownell
Nancy & John Calcott
Marjorie Carlson
Kathleen Cerveny
Elizabeth Chamberlain
Kathleen Coakley
Louise Crane
Janet Delucia
Dennis Dooley
Joan Dowling
Patricia Doyle
Katherine A. Eaton
Sally Ebling
Linda Ferrato
Richard Fleischman
Jean Gaede
Nina & James Gibans
Richard Gildenmeister
Gabriele Gossner
Sally Griswold
Elaine Hadden
Mary Harvey
Robin Herrington-Bowen
Martha Hickox
Ann Hadley Holden
Mary J. Holland
Norma Huey
Martha J. Joseph
Kathryn Karipides
The Joseph P. & Nancy F. Keithley Foundation
Denise Knecht
June Kosich
Ilze Kalnina Lacis
Ellen & Howard Landau
Lucinda Lavelli
Benson & Vickie Lee
Mildred & James McAfee
Nancy & Joe McAfee
Patricia Mead
A. Grace Lee & Howard Mims
Steven Minter
Margaret Mitchell
Helen Moise
Mary B. Moon
The David & Lindsay Morgenthaler Foundation
Judy Neal
Barbara Patterson
Heinz Poll
Florence K. Z. Pollack
Polly Prescott
Audrey & Albert Ratner
Billie Rawot
Maria Restrepo-Hamilton
Barbara S. Robinson
Klaus G. Roy
Thomas & Elizabeth Schorgl
Barbara & John Schubert
Susan Schwartz
Leo & Marianela Serrano
Henry D. Shapiro
Adele Silver
Jill Snyder
Audrey Sopko
Stanley and Blanche Stone
Frances P. Taft
Marjorie Tallalay
Dorothy Teare
Nanette C. Thomas
Diana Tittle & Tom Hinson
Iris Vail
Louise Veverka
Jean Vosmik
Margaret Wong

Mission

History of the Prize

Sponsors

Governing Board

Juries

Endowment

Cleveland Arts Prize
Scholarships

National Overview