Monday, January 31, 2022

St. Johns Cultural Council names 2022 Dr. Gail Pflaster ROWITA Award winners, event on March 26


St. Augustine, Fla. – January 31, 2022 - Each year the St. Johns Cultural Council recognizes women who have profoundly influenced the artistic environment of St. Johns County with the Dr. Gail Pflaster ROWITA ("Recognizing Outstanding Women in the Arts") Awards. Nominations were received from the community about numerous women who have made significant contributions to the arts in St. Johns County through their work, leadership, and philanthropic support.

This year, three local women have been named as ROWITA recipients including Donna Guzzo, Executive Director and CEO of First Coast Cultural Council, arts philanthropist, women's professional empowerment leader and mentor; Teresa Radzinski, Trustee for the Lightner Museum, philanthropist and supporter of the arts and renowned museums, and Managing Director with Bank of America; and Jane Sims, Tale Tellers of St. Augustine founding member and professional storyteller, educator, and fine arts promoter.

According to Christina Parrish Stone, the Cultural Council's Executive Director, this year's nominees have all positively impacted the cultural community. "Our final selections are women in the visual, literary, and performance arts, and are educators, presenters, and philanthropic supporters as core leaders in our regional arts community. They were eligible for the award as were past nominees who have not been selected," said Parrish Stone.

Honorees were selected by a panel of community members in January and the annual ROWITA celebration will take place on Saturday, March 26 from 2 pm until 4 pm at the Lightner Museum, 75 King Street in historic, St. Augustine, Fla. The event is open to the public. For more information, email sjcc@historiccoastculturecom. 

Former honorees will also be recognized at the March event including St. Johns County arts professionals Roxanne Horvath, a preservation architect and artist, arts advocate, and current member of the City of St. Augustine City Commission; Dr. Leslee Keys, Assistant Professor of Humanities, Director of Historic Preservation at Flagler College, and a leader in the conservation of historical and architectural resources; Carole Prior, an award winning drama instructor, Teacher of the Year, artist, writer and director; Leslie Robison, a Kenan Distinguished Associated Professor of Liberal Education in Art at Flagler College, arts advocate, and artist,  and Karla Wagner, film aficionado, former proprietor of the Corazon Cinema and Café, and film and entertainment festival producer. Additionally, the March 26 event will feature Junior ROWITA scholarship recipients.

ROWITA Nominations may be submitted electronically between November 1 and December 31 of each year at https://stjohnsculture.com/grants-awards/rowita-awards. Junior ROWITA awards and scholarships applications are available at  https://stjohnsculture.com/grants-awards/jr-rowita.

The mission of the St. Johns Cultural Council is to support local artists and arts organizations and to promote St. Johns County as a premiere destination for cultural travelers, ensuring that the lives of residents and visitors are enriched through art, culture, history, and heritage. The nonprofit was established in 2000 and designated as the official local arts agency by the St. Johns County Board of Commissioners in 2007.

The St. Johns Cultural Council supports the development of arts institutions, community arts partners, cultural programs, and activities and audiences in St. Johns County. Professional development programs assist local artists and art organizations in obtaining grants and to grow their capabilities which help develop, market, and promote local programs and events. Visit the website at https://www.stjohnsculture.com.

The Cultural Council manages the Cultural Center at St. Augustine Beach, where partners including The Dance Company, The St. Augustine Beach Art Studio & Gallery and other community-based organizations offer daily artistic and movement classes to hundreds of individuals. Weekly arts, culture, and heritage e-newsletters and the website https://www.historiccoastculture.com provide online cultural resources for residents and visitors in St. Johns County.


Contact:    Christina Parrish Stone                                                                                                  christina@historiccoastculture.com                                                                                          904.434.0959