By LB Indy Staff
The Laguna Beach Arts Alliance (LBAA) will hold its 15th Annual Art Star Awards on April 28 on the Festival of Arts grounds in Laguna Beach at 5:30 p.m. The Art Star Awards is an annual award ceremony that recognizes excellence in outstanding achievements and contributions to the arts in Laguna Beach.
This year, the evening will feature a new festival format showcasing live pop-up art demonstrations and performances by LBAA member organizations and special guest artists. During the event, in true Academy Award style, awards in five categories will be presented to organizations, businesses and individuals who shaped and contributed to the community’s arts and culture in Laguna Beach.
“We’re thrilled to honor this year’s nominees at our newly envisioned festivities,” LBAA President Pat Kollenda said. “I can think of no better way to celebrate Laguna’s artists and our vibrant art scene than to immerse our guests and honorees in live art demonstrations and performances.”
This year’s nominees will be considered for their contributions to the arts in 2022. They include:
Best Arts Program
Coast Film & Music Festival
Piece-ful Protest Exhibit (Community Art Project)
Theatre on the Spectrum (No Square Theatre)
Best Arts Collaboration
90th Birthday Bash (Festival of Arts/City of Laguna Beach)
First Thursdays Art Walk & Laguna Dance Festival (Laguna Dance Festival/Laguna Art Museum/Local Galleries)
Art Inscribed (Third Street Writers/The Artists’ Fund/Festival of Arts/FOA Foundation)
Arts Patron of the Year
Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center
Jeff Redeker and the Rotary Club of Laguna Beach
Volvo Cars
Artist of the Year
Lani Emanuel
Michael Obermeyer
Gerard Stripling
LBAA will also honor Kathy Jones with a special Art Star Award for lifetime achievement in recognition of her many accomplishments and contributions to the Laguna Beach arts community. At the event, all the winners will be announced and presented with one-of-a-kind Art Star award sculptures, fondly referred to as the “Louies,” created by Laguna Beach artist Louis Longi.
Entertainment will include performances by the Laguna Community Concert Band’s Jazz Combo, No Square Theatre and surprise guests. Attendees can join in the fun by contributing paint strokes to an interactive painting led by the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and see up close a Pageant of the Masters living tableau from the 2022 production, “Wonderful World,” as well as other sets. They will also view live painting demonstrations by Pageant of Masters Director Diane Challis Davy, Hugo Rivera and other local artists.
“Please join us for a fun and entertaining evening to celebrate the arts and our incredible community,” Kollenda said.
Tickets for the 15th Annual Art Star Awards are available by contacting Wayne Baglin at [email protected].
The Laguna Beach Arts Alliance was established in 2002 as the result of a partnership among 27 Laguna Beach organizations. The mission is to serve as an advocate for the arts, promote collaboration and networking among the arts organizations of Laguna Beach and serve as a united voice for the arts in the city. Members of the Arts Alliance include 3340 Recital Series, City of Laguna Beach Arts Commission, Coast Film Festival, Community Art Project, Festival of Arts, First Thursdays Art Walk, Friends of the Laguna Beach Library, Gallery Q, Laguna Art-A-Fair Festival, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach Craft Guild, Laguna Beach Live!, Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association, Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna Community Concert Band, Laguna Dance Festival, Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, LagunaTunes Community Chorus, LB Cultural Arts Center, LOCA Arts Education, Neighborhood Congregational Church, No Square Theatre, Sawdust Art Festival, The Artists Fund at the Festival of Arts, Third Street Writers and Visit Laguna Beach.
More about the alliance is available at lagunabeacharts.org, us on Instagram @lbartsalliance and Facebook @lagunabeachartsalliance.
 will hold its 15th Annual Art Star Awards on April 28 on the Festival of Arts grounds in Laguna Beach at 5:30 p.m. The Art Star Awards is an annual award ceremony that recognizes excellence in outstanding achievements and contributions to the arts in Laguna Beach.){kind=link}