By Barb Van Atta
To be at the heart of the arts does not necessarily mean you are a creator of art. You also can be a person who brings artistic creations to your community. Winners of the ninth annual Broome County Arts Council’s Heart of the Arts and Lifetime Achievement Awards spend at least part of their time behind the scenes, helping make those essential connections between artists and their audiences.

Terry Burke

Jan De Angelo

Julie Deemie

Ron Sall

At a press conference this morning (Oct. 17) at the council’s offices, 81 State St., Binghamton, BCAC Executive Director Sharon Ball named two Lifetime Achievement winners, who will be honored for their long-term impact on the arts in Broome County. Jan De Angelo, although an accomplished performer and composer in his own right, was nominated in his capacity as a “professional accompanist, educator and director.” Terry Burke was cited for his “technical contributions in lighting and sound.”
The two 2012 Heart of the Arts recipients, nominated for recent contributions to the Broome County cultural landscape, are both impresarios of a sort. Binghamton businessman Ron Sall is being honored as chairman of the annual JulyFest celebration and the organizer of JulyFest’s companion event, the Binghamton Jazz Festival. Julie Deemie, as president of Johnson City Partners, “masterminded the annual Carousel Day … at historic CFJ Park.” Both JulyFest and Carousel Day feature free entertainment, a variety of crafters and family activities and a juried art show.
BCAC created the Heart of the Arts Awards in 2004 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in Broome County. Award winners are nominated by the public and chosen by the ballot votes of BCAC’s membership and board of directors. The annual presentation ceremony and celebration at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, will, for the first time, be held in the BCAC’s gallery space adjacent to its office on the fifth floor of Stephens Square. The theme of this free, annual community celebration is “The Arts Connect …” For more information, call the arts council at 723-4620 or e-mail information@bcartscouncil.com.
Check BAMirror later in the week for more details about the winners.