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Town of Huntingdon Receives 2007 Governor’s Award in the Arts


“Mayor at Gov Awards 07” – Standing on stage at the 2007 Governor's Awards in the Arts are (left to right) Stephanie Barger Conner, chair of the Tennessee Arts Commission; Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley; and Susan D. Brock, vice-chair of the Commission. The Town of Huntingdon received an Arts Leadership Award during the ceremony held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.

(HUNTINGDON; March 19, 2007) – The Town of Huntingdon received the prestigious honor as one of the 2007 Governor’s Award in the Arts recipients. The Town was honored at an invitation-only reception on Tuesday, March 13 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. The awards were presented by Governor Phil Bredesen during a special ceremony that evening.

The Tennessee Arts Commission established the Governor's Awards in the Arts in 1971 to recognize individuals and organizations that make outstanding contributions to the cultural life of Tennessee. The contribution may be as an artist or patron, an arts or private-sector organization, in arts education, community involvement, or for a unique achievement. The awards were created to recognize extraordinary contributions to the arts and achievements with state, regional, or national impact in whatever form they may take, and are Tennessee's highest honor in the arts.

Among the other awards, the “Arts Leadership Awards” were presented to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, the Town of Huntingdon, and Bill Ivey of Nashville. This award recognizes organizations, businesses, educators, patrons, arts administrators, corporations and volunteers who have demonstrated significant support or participation in activities which foster excellence in, appreciation of, or access to the arts throughout the state.

The Town of Huntingdon was recognized for their leadership in the building of The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center. The Center, affectionately called “The Dixie,” is named after actress and local citizen, Dixie Carter. The Center was developed by the Town of Huntingdon to be an accessible arts venue serving a rural community where excellence would become a standard. It has sparked downtown renewal efforts around a charming town square.

Before receiving the actual award, a video featuring each person or organization was shown to the audience. Among the construction photos, interviews, and much more, the following was said about the Town of Huntingdon:

“Venture off the interstate highway and travel along the scenic roads of West Tennessee. Among the cotton fields and flat farmland you will find the quiet little town of Huntingdon, which isn't so quiet anymore. It has become a cultural epicenter among the rural counties in West Tennessee.

Embracing the vision of Mayor Dale Kelley and the commitment of the town council, this small community worked together and pulled off a Herculean task that benefits every citizen of Huntingdon and Carroll County. Working in harmony, a $3.2 million state-of-the-art theater and academic arts center proudly occupies a prominent location on the historic town square. The center was built to honor stage and screen star Dixie Carter, who grew up in nearby McLemoresville, and graduated from Huntingdon High School. Dixie and husband Hal Halbrook are often found in Huntingdon when they are in residence at her nearby family home. It was Mayor Kelley who invited Dixie to lend her name to the facility and she graciously agreed, but she did much more than that. She and Hal took great interest in the project and were heavily involved in the planning and design of the building. And with the building now in operation, Dixie herself can often be found in the lobby greeting school children as they come to enjoy the magic of theater.

Education is deeply woven into the bricks and mortar foundation of "The Dixie," realizing that for any community to embrace the arts, they must first be taught to value them. The Dixie Carter Performing Arts and Academic Enrichment Center now stands as one of the top presenting organizations in the state, boasting its own resident dance studio, annual literary symposium, and community art education workshops. Although small in size, Huntingdon is metropolitan in vision. The arts are the heartbeat of the town, radiating from the golden glow of the marquee on "The Dixie" to the artwork of first graders lining the halls of nearby Huntingdon Primary. The leadership of the town of Huntingdon has transformed this tiny community into a model for cultural tourism, demonstrating how embracing the heritage of a place and its people can be the key to unlocking latent potential.”

Huntingdon Mayor, Dale Kelley, remarked, “This was a wonderful evening for the Town of Huntingdon! I was so proud to have so many people in attendance when receiving the award - without these and many others; The Dixie would not have been possible. I speak for the entire Town when I say we are deeply honored, and I thank the Governor and the Tennessee Arts Commission for their recognition of the arts in this special way.”

About the award:
The Tennessee Arts Commission believes the award should be a reflection of the creative spirit that exists within the state. Since its establishment, the recipients of the Governor's Award in the Arts have been gifted with an original and unique work of art created by a distinguished Tennessee artist. For 2007 the Commission selected Brenda Stein of Nashville, a highly respected craft artist who works in wood, to create the award. Crafted from a single Tennessee Walnut tree, approximately 20 feet of the log was used to create the awards. Stein titled the series "Lift Up Your Voice," because each piece was made in joyful celebration of those who have had the courage, patience, and vision to share their own authentic voice with the world. In creating the award, Stein's goal was to inspire viewers to form a deeper connection with the natural wonders in their own lives.


“Group at Gov Awards 07” - Row 1 from L-R:
Ray Smith, Industrial Board Member
Gary Hatch, Huntingdon Town Council
Dr. Tim Tucker, Huntingdon Town Council
Representative Mark Maddox
John Sanders, Huntingdon Town Council
Melissa Powell, Huntingdon Vice-Mayor and Huntingdon Arts & Events Advisory Council Member
Governor Phil Bredesen
First Lady Andrea Conte
Mayor Dale Kelley
Dixie Carter
Dr. Stan Warren, Professor of Music – Union University
Lee Warren, Executive Director – The Dixie
Senator Lowe Finney
Jeanie Newman, Huntingdon Town Council and Huntingdon Arts & Events Advisory Council Member

Row 2 from L-R:
Vickie Summers, PDC Arts & Eats Owner and Carroll Arts Board Member
Leanne Bailey, Huntingdon Primary School Principal
Angie Bunn, Supervisor of Instruction – Huntingdon Special School District and Huntingdon Arts & Events Advisory Council Member
Judy Bowers
Arlene Cooper, Huntingdon Primary Value Plus School Coordinator and Dixie Volunteer
Clay Barger, Huntingdon Arts & Events Advisory Council Member and Dixie Volunteer
Lisa Norris, President of Carroll Arts
Judy Noles, Huntingdon Arts & Events Advisory Council Member and Dixie Volunteer
Geneva Johnson, Dixie Volunteer and Carroll Arts Board Member
Paula Adkins, Dixie Volunteer
Nicole Kaklis, Director of Marketing & Development – The Dixie

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