Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts

Walter Cerf (1907-2001) fled Nazi Germany in 1937, became a successful businessman, and spent his later years as a philanthropist in Vermont.

The Walter Cerf Medal is presented to individuals who have made a sustained contribution to the arts and had an impact on Vermont's cultural life. The award is named in honor of the late philanthropist Walter Cerf whose generous gifts, exceeding $5 million, have benefited numerous Vermont institutions including the Arts Council. Mr. Cerf was instrumental in establishing the Arts Endowment at the Vermont Community Foundation, and his contributions have created a $1 million fund to assist Vermont's artists and arts organizations.

Criteria

Selected by the Council, Cerf Medals may be awarded to artists of renown or to those in a closely related field, such as philanthropy, administration, production, education, advocacy, or mentoring, who:

• currently reside in Vermont

• have a statewide, regional (New England), national, or international reputation in their chosen field as evidenced by third-party acclaim or reviews from independent sources

• have significant recognition in their chosen field by their peers in Vermont

• have a significant body of work and/or record of service available for review by the Council

• are nominated by at least one non-Arts Council staff or board member

Recipients

Photo courtesy of Vermont Arts Council.

2021
Pamela Polston, journalist and editor

Photo by Emily Boedecker.

2020
Hannah Dennison, choreographer - award video

2019
Castle Freeman, author

2018
Alison Bechdel, cartoon artist

2017
Chris Bohjalian, author

2016
Elsie Smith and Serenity Smith Forchion, circus arts performers and teachers

2015
Bill Metcalfe, musician, educator
Elizabeth Metcalfe, musician | video

2014
Bess O’Brien, Kingdom County Productions, documentary filmmaker

2013
Jay Parini, Middlebury College, author, biographer

2012
Arnie Malina, Flynn Center for Performing Arts and
Altoon Sultan, painter

2011
Christian Wolff, musician and composer

2010
Jane Ambrose, UVM Lane Series
Jean Olson, Governor's Institute of Vermont
Andrea Rogers, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts

2009
John Nassivera, playwright

2007
Charles Ginnever, sculptor

2006
Lucien Day, painter

2005
Pauline Billings, founding chair Vermont Arts Council

2004
Tasha Tudor, illustrator/author

2003
Malcolm Wright, ceramicist/sculptor
Louis Moyse, musician/teacher

2002
David Budbill, poet/playwright
Sam Lloyd, actor
Margaret MacArthur, musician/musicologist

2001
Sterling Weed, musician/orchestra leader/teacher

2000
Mary Azarian, painter/printmaker
Gwyneth Walker, composer

1999
Luis Batlle, musician
Peter Saxe Jennison, writer and publisher
Claire Van Vliet, visual artist

1998
Wolf Kahn, painter
Melvin Kaplan, musician

1996
David Wells, cellist
Freda Rosenblatt, pianist

1995
Vivian Fine, composer
Ruth Stone, poet
Arthur Williams, arts administrator

1994
Helen Rogers, dancer/choreographer
Donald and Joanne Rathgeb, theater
Florence Cushman, pianist

1993
Paul Aschenbach, sculptor
June Gorton, choreographer, dancer
James Hayford, poet

1992
Judith Brown, sculptor
Frank Hewitt, painter
Ron Slayton, painter

Submit a Nomination

• complete this online form
• send a letter of recommendation to 136 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633, or
• send an email to the Council with "Award Nomination" in the subject line. Include your name and contact information. Also list three to five achievements, based on awards criteria, that qualify this nominee for the award and provide one to three links to information about the nominee that support this nomination

Recommendations are welcome throughout the year. To be considered for the 2021 awards, candidate names must have been submitted by June 1, 2021.