Congratulations To 2010 NYART Award Winners

A hearty congratulations to the well-deserving FOAVPS (Friends of AVPS) Grace Lile, Archivist and Director of Operations at WITNESS, and the fine folks at the Jazz Loft Project who will be honored the evening of October 20th, 2010 by the Archivists Roundtable of Metropolitan New York.

Grace has been awarded the 2010 Archival Achievement Award for the spectacular work she has done to establish and maintain the WITNESS video archive documenting worldwide human rights and social justice issues. Along with the help of a dedicated staff and interns Grace’s efforts have included planning and implementation of extensive cataloging and digitization projects that will make the archive more searchable and usable by researchers and others, as well as the development of innovative guidelines and tools for the submission of video from across the globe in variable formats. Our own Chris Lacinak will be one of the proud presenters of Grace’s award.

The Jazz Loft Project is being honored with the Award for Innovative Use of Archives. The access to the treasure of photographs and audio recordings of jazz musicians captured by Eugene Smith in his 6th Avenue New York City loft from 1957-1965 opened up by the Project is establishing new levels of knowledge about the history of jazz during one of its most vibrant periods. The past year has also seen the fruition of years of work from Sam Stephenson, Jazz Loft Project Director, and contributors from The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, WNYC Radio, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Alfred A. Knopf, and the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona. Activities have included the publishing of a book on Eugene Smith and the Jazz Loft, a series of programs from Sarah Fishko on WNYC Radio in New York, and a travelling exhibition of materials that opened at the New York Public Library.

Congratulations also to the Leon Levy Foundation, winner of the award for Outstanding Support of Archives. The Leon Levy Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation established to continue Leon Levy’s philanthropic legacy and to build on his vision, encouraging and supporting excellence in six broad areas: Understanding the Ancient World; Arts and Humanities; Preservation of Nature and Gardens; Brain Research and Science; Human Rights; and Jewish Culture. The generous support of such foundations and granting agencies help make sure that organizations like WITNESS and the Jazz Loft Project can do their valuable work.

Hope to see you at the awards ceremony!