Meet the MasterMinds: Year 1

Recognizing that the local arts scene needed a little fertilizer to really get going -- and growing -- five years ago, Westword created the MasterMind Awards, a program that honors five cultural visionaries who are working to change the cultural landscape of Denver, and rewards their efforts with cold, hard...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 16, 2009

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Recognizing that the local arts scene needed a little fertilizer to really get going -- and growing -- five years ago, Westword created the MasterMind Awards, a program that honors five cultural visionaries who are working to change the cultural landscape of Denver, and rewards their efforts with cold, hard cash.

That first creative class -- Lauri Lynnxe Murphy in Visual Arts, Brandi Shigley in Fashion/Design, the Denver Zine Library and Kristy Fenton in Literary Arts, Buntport Theater in Performing Arts, and the Emerging Filmmakers Project in Multimedia -- wasn't content to take the money and run. The 2005 MasterMind winners have continued to contribute to Denver's artistic community and also helped to choose this year's MasterMinds, who will be revealed later this week.

In the meantime, read the profiles of our 2005 MasterMind winners and get details on Saturday's Artopia party here.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

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