Americans for the Arts presented the 2010 Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award to Anne Katz, Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin. The was presented on June 27 at the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit in Baltimore. The Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award is presented by the State Arts Action Network of Americans for the Arts and honors an individual who has dramatically affected the political landscape through arts advocacy efforts at the state level.

Arts Wisconsin is dedicated to nurturing, serving, promoting, and advocating for the arts in Wisconsin and all its communities. Under Katz’s leadership, Arts Wisconsin was awarded the 2004 Governor’s Award in Support of the Arts from the Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts. She serves on the board of the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association and is a former chair and vice chair of the State Arts Action Network Council, a program of Americans for the Arts.

Katz was honored for her advancement of Arts Wisconsin’s agenda—the importance art and creativity for all residents—throughout the state. She continues to be an effective advocate and lobbyist, tracking and influencing state and federal policies in the arts and arts education. Katz has initiated many strategic partnerships that link the arts with business, education, political, and civic issues throughout Wisconsin. During her tenure at Arts Wisconsin she has nurtured more than 100 emerging arts organizations in Wisconsin, guiding them from mere ideas to full-fledged operational nonprofits.

“Anne Katz is a tireless advocate and outstanding leader for the arts and arts education in Wisconsin. Her commitment to the Wisconsin’s arts groups, working artists, and arts enthusiasts is tremendous and this award is more than well-deserved,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.