WASHINGTON, DC — Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, announced today that it is presenting the 2011 Selina Roberts Ottum Award to Libby Maynard, co-founder and executive director The Ink People Center for the Arts in Eureka, CA. Given annually since 1991, the Selina Roberts Ottum Award recognizes outstanding contributions in the local arts agency field and is presented by Americans for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Ms. Maynard will receive her award on June 16 at the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in San Diego.

“We are honored to recognize Ms. Maynard for her contributions to the arts over the past 40 years,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “She is an extremely effective leader who understands the importance of community vision and works tirelessly towards promoting the arts and artists.”

A passionate supporter of the arts and artists, Ms. Maynard co-founded The Ink People Center for the Arts as a solution to her community’s economic woes in the in the late 1970s. As a result of her efforts, Eureka, CA/Humboldt County is today seen as a model community for the use of the arts as a means of healthy and positive cultural development.  In addition to her work leading The Ink People, Ms. Maynard serves on the Boards of Directors of Access Humboldt, Alliance for California Traditional Arts and Humboldt County Workforce Investment Board. And since 2005, she has served as staff to the City of Eureka’s Art & Culture Commission, and sits on Eureka Main Street’s Public Arts Committee. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors in California.

”This is a great honor for me,” said Ms. Maynard. “I am grateful to Americans for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and to all the people I have worked with in the last 32 years who have made Humboldt such a vibrant arts community.”

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.