The Greater Columbus Arts Council announced the recipients of its 2025 Community Arts Partnership (CAP) awards on September 16. Stephanie Matthews received the Jim Arter Arts Educator Award and Christopher Purdy received the Michael B. Coleman Arts Partner Award. The Dale E. Heydlauff Community Arts Innovation Awards went to Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Culture Pass program and the 11th Annual All Disabilities Festival – Christmas in July.

Matthews is Executive Director of A Tribe for Jazz and has delivered jazz-centered arts education to K-12 students in central Ohio through live performances, music camps, and the Jazz Lab Mobile program, which the organization says has reached more than 1,300 students through after-school programs and community events. The Jim Arter Arts Educator Award includes a $5,000 prize. Purdy has been a fixture at WOSU Public Media and Classical 101 since 1992 and hosts morning programming on WOSU/Classical 101 radio.

The award recipients were honored at GCAC’s CommUNITY & Conversation Public Forum on October 23 at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. Tom Katzenmeyer, president and CEO of GCAC, said the awards recognize “those individuals and organizations that have created such a lasting impact on the city of Columbus.”

Source: https://www.gcac.org/press-release/greater-columbus-arts-council-announces-2025-community-arts-partnership-awards-winners/