NHBCA Hosts 37th Annual Arts Awards

See the film “Hidden in Plain Sight” at the 37th Annual Arts Awards show on June 2.

Help support the intersection of New Hampshire’s arts and business worlds with an inspirational online celebration.

The New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts (NHBCA) will host their 37th Annual Arts Awards show on the “Digital Stage” next month. It will honor groups and individuals across New Hampshire for their excellent contributions to arts and culture. The event is free to attend, with an option to donate when registering.

As a statewide nonprofit membership organization, the NHBCA works to connect professionals through art-related experiences while building partnerships between the business and artistic communities. Focusing on improving the “creative economy,” the NHBCA works to boost engagement with the arts through a variety of projects and people, while advocating for its values in economic, social and community development.

“The NHBCA is the only organization designed specifically to break down barriers between the business and arts communities. Together with our members we ensure that the creative sector is recognized for its economic power in the state’s workforce and community development. We are focused on developing partnerships that promote the intersection of art, commerce, technology and cultural tourism,” says NHBCA Executive Director Tricia Soule.

The show itself will be an artistic masterpiece. All nominees and award winners will be recognized, and the event will feature an augmented reality (AR) presentation, as well as “Hidden in Plain Sight,” a film by New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC) representing the vision of the NHBCA, to highlight the important role art plays in the local economy. Interviews with creative leaders Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University, Dean Kaman, inventor and founder of FIRST and Howard Brodsky, CEO of CCA Global Partners helped inspire the production. It utilizes a combination of dance and text to emphasize the importance of creativity in the world of business.

Soule is looking forward to the film, and praised the entire team for their innovative productions and exquisite performances. Joan Brodsky and the NHDC, Theatre Kapow Artistic Directors Carey and Matt Cahoon, and New Hampshire State Artist Laureate Amanda Whitworth collaborated with 20 of New Hampshire’s best and brightest performing artists to produce the film. New Millennium Studios’ John Hession is the cinematographer for “Hidden in Plain Sight.”

Telling the stories of the award nominees is an exciting part of the event for Soule as well. “It’s so important that people know about those committed to making the arts part of the state’s vibrant, diverse and prosperous communities. All New Hampshire residents and visitors benefit from their generosity and hard work,” she says.

Though the arts awards show is their signature event, the NHBCA puts on many events throughout the rest of the year, such as Artful Networking and Augmented Reality art exhibitions and installations — including the upcoming summer-long AR Art Walk, available at locations in Lebanon, Manchester, Portsmouth and Whitefield from May 15 through October 15.

“The arts are an invaluable resource in New Hampshire that requires a business community that is committed to investing in their continued growth and sustainability. It is important to recognize those that support the arts because it encourages others to do the same,” says Soule.

The awards show will take place virtually via Studio Lab in Derry on June 2 at 7 p.m. Registration for the event will be available here.

New Hampshire Magazine is a proud sponsor of this event.