Cleveland, OH January 25, 2006  – The Cleveland Arts Prize invites all art lovers in Northeast Ohio to nominate outstanding creative artists for the upcoming 2006 awards. Candidates can be nominated on-line at www.clevelandartsprize.org from January 31 through March 15.

Exceptional artists – one emerging, two at the peak of their careers, and one for a lifetime of achievement – will be selected for their significant contributions to the cultural vitality of Northeast Ohio. Artistic categories include Design, Music & Dance, Visual Arts and Literature. Winners will be announced at a public event in July.

In addition to honoring artists, the Arts Prize will recognize those that through extraordinary patronage, leadership, advocacy or teaching have nurtured the arts in Northeast Ohio. The Martha Joseph Special Citation for Distinguished Service to the Arts will be awarded to an organization or an individual who has made a significant contribution to the arts, and the Robert P. Bergman Prize will be awarded to an individual who through passionate leadership has expanded his/her field more broadly.

After identifying and publicly honoring artists for 45 years, the Arts Prize Board spent a year in virtual renovation, creating change that includes broader definitions of artistic disciplines, more transparent jurying processes, rewards for emerging artists, increased public engagement and larger monetary awards.

“We are very excited about having the entire community help identify and recommend artists,” says Board Chair Kathleen Barrie “and to that end have made the nomination process easy and accessible. We need your help to find the unsung and deserving artists among us.”

The categories and criteria are outlined on the Arts Prize website.