Connecticut names 2021 Arts Heroes

Connecticut Office of the Arts has named its 2021 state Arts Heroes. They will be honored at a ceremony at Infinity Hall in Hartford on Sept. 1, along with the 2020 Arts Heroes, whose honors were postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since 2016, the state office has annually given honors to Connecticut residents who have made outstanding contributions to the arts.

The Lifetime Achievement honoree is Stephan Allison of Middletown, who has been executive director and music director of The Buttonwood Tree, a radio programmer at WPKN and WESU and Arts Coordinator for the City of Middletown from 1999 until his retirement in 2018.

Admission is free to the Sept. 1 event, which begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Attendees must register at connecticutartsheroesawards. splashthat.com.

The 2021 Arts Heroes are:

Jasmin Agosto of East Hartford, founder of Sageseeker Productions and La Sala Femme, which offers performance opportunities for women of color, especially LGBTQ women of color.

Andrew Camacho of New London, a hip-hop artist, video producer and graphic and web designer who works to highlight local bands.

Shelby Davis of Waterbury, founder of City Youth Theater in Waterbury and author of “Everything My Parents Taught Me in 6 Steps.”

Marti Etter of Stamford, a co-founder and executive director of The Ballet School of Stamford.

Kerry Kincy of Middletown, a dancer, instructor, mentor and founder of Free Center Middletown.

Effie and Angaza Mwando of Torrington, arts instructors and mentors who focus on intercultural collaboration.

Daniel L. Sikora of Ridgefield, a musician, vocal teacher and artistic director and conductor of the Ridgefield Chorale and the Founders Hall Singers.

The 2020 Arts Heroes are:

Brian Cohen of Chaplin, a sculptor and founder of Positive Expressions 93, a youth arts mentoring program.

Semina De Laurentis of Torrington, founder and artistic director of Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury.

Lucy Gellman of New Haven, editor of The Arts Paper of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and co-founder of the Youth Arts Journalism Project.

Edward Lent of Guilford, a poet and organizer of children’s events that promote love of poetry.

Marilyn Malcarne of Deep River, a sculptor, painter, photographer and retired arts teacher. She works with the Deep River Junior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps and Starry Night Studio in Chester.

Terry Starks of Hartford, co-creator of Hartford’s Proud Drill Drum and Dance Corp.

Joanne Torti of Bethlehem, founder and executive director of ASAP!, an educational organization that fosters learning through the arts.

Brian Walters of Bethel, co-founder and curator of the In View Project of Danbury, a storefront project that welcomes artists to show their work at no cost.

Derron Wood of New London, founder and artistic director of Flock Theatre in New London.