Downtown Raleigh Alliance

Extraordinary achievement by six individuals and organizations will be celebrated at the 23rd annual Raleigh Medal of Arts Ceremony. A reception (black-tie or 'creative dress') will follow the ceremony. The ceremony and reception are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Medal of Arts is the City of Raleigh's highest arts honor. This year's winners are the North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Theatre, gallery owner and community arts leader Rory Parnell, Carolina Ballet lead dancer Melissa Podcasy, Progress Energy, and The Raleigh Ringers. William Ivey Long, an award-winning Broadway designer and North Carolina native, will serve as master of ceremonies. Special presenters will be North Carolina First Lady Mary Easley and singer Tift Merritt.

"We are honored to be selected for a Raleigh Medal of Arts," said Lisa Grele Barrie, Development Director for North Carolina Theatre. "Recognition this year is especially meaningful, given that NCT will be celebrating our 25th anniversary," Barrie added.

As part of this year's Medal of Arts ceremony, the audience will be treated to performances by Anita Burroughs-Price, a harpist with the North Carolina Symphony and a past Medal of Arts winner; The Raleigh Ringers; and the North Carolina Theatre, which will present a selection from the musical "Secret Garden."

The City of Raleigh Arts Commission established the Medal of Arts program in 1984. Past winners include author Betty Adcock, philanthropist Dr. Assad Meymandi, Raleigh Little Theatre and Arts Together. The Arts Commission, celebrating 30 years fostering the arts, will also recognize past Medal of Arts winners at the ceremony and unveil a special "Happy Birthday, Raleigh Arts" video.

Following is additional information about this year's Raleigh Medal of Arts winners:

North Carolina Symphony. A full-time, professional orchestra with 68 members under the artistic leadership of Music Director Grant Llewellyn. The symphony performs regularly in its home venue of Meymandi Concert Hall in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and has released five recordings;

North Carolina Theatre. NCT is a not-for-profit, professional regional theatre that produces memorable, high-quality Broadway musicals. Founded by DeAnn Jones in 1984 and currently under the direction of Executive Director William Jones, NCT blends seasoned Broadway performers with the best regional talent at Memorial Auditorium;

Rory Parnell. Ms. Parnell co-owns The Collectors Gallery in City Market and the Long View Gallery in Moore Square. As a gallery owner, arts advocate and patron for more than 20 years, Ms. Parnell has served on numerous non-profit boards and visual arts panels. She is a long-time supporter and advocate for Visual Art Exchange and will soon be opening a new gallery on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh;

Melissa Podcasy. Ms. Podcasy is a founding member of Carolina Ballet. As a former principal dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet and Basel Ballet in Switzerland, Ms. Podcasy has appeared as a guest artist with New York City Ballet; has danced nationally and internationally with Stars of American Ballet; and was invited to tour with Principal Dancers of New York City Ballet through Columbia Artists Management;

Progress Energy. With headquarters in Raleigh, Progress Energy is a Fortune 250 energy company that includes two major utilities that serve more than 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. Since becoming Progress Energy in 2000, the company has invested over $70 million in its local communities through grant programs, including more than $12 million to the arts; and,

The Raleigh Ringers. Under the artistic direction of David Harris, The Raleigh Ringers is an internationally acclaimed, advanced community hand bell ensemble. Its members are auditioned musicians who perform on the most extensive collection of bells owned by any hand bell ensemble in the world -- six unique sets totaling more than 360 individual pieces of equipment.

For more information, contact the City of Raleigh Arts Commission office at 890-3610 or email Belva.parker@ci.raleigh.nc.us.