Nominations for 2022 Kendig Awards will open May 20!

Please visit this link to submit your nomination!

The 2022 Perry F. Kendig Arts and Culture Awards presentation and celebration will be held at Hollins University in October 2022. Detailed information about the event will be forthcoming.

Congratulations to all of the 2020-2021 Kendig Award winners! Please read the news release here. https://kendigawards.com/206-2/

Roanoke College and Hollins University are dedicated to providing students with the finest arts and cultural learning experiences. From artist residencies, gallery programs, live theatre productions, music concerts, creative writing activities, and film projects, students are exposed to amazing faculty and professional artists of all disciplines.

To enhance learning and build upon these unique campus offerings, both Hollins and Roanoke have actively sought ways for students to experience the rich and vibrant Roanoke region* arts and cultural community. At any time throughout their experiences at Hollins and Roanoke, students might find themselves working alongside a local visual artist in their studio or in the community, performing in a local theatrical production or learning about arts administration during an internship at a non-profit organization.

In 2013 The Perry F. Kendig Awards, an annual program that has recognized excellence in arts and culture for more than 25 years, found itself without a home. Roanoke College and Hollins University came together to keep the tradition alive in appreciation of the Roanoke region’s cultural community resources. In addition, Hollins and Roanoke hope that in presenting this annual program it will build an even stronger arts and cultural bridge between the campus environment and community at large.

Award Categories

One award will be presented in each category only (for a total of three (3) awards).

  • Individual Artist (of all disciplines – dance, literature, music, media arts, visual arts, and theatre)
  • Arts and/or Cultural Organization
  • Individual or Business Arts Supporter

Please see the FAQ section for more information on the nomination process.

*Roanoke Regional Chamber defines the Roanoke region as the counties of Botetourt, Franklin, and Roanoke, and the cities of Salem, Roanoke, and the Town of Vinton.

Important Note

The Perry F. Kendig Arts and Culture Awards is a programmatic offering between Roanoke College and Hollins University since 2013. Past Perry F. Kendig Awards recipients from 1985-2012 are eligible for consideration – see complete lists:

Kendig Award Recipients from 1985-2012
Kendig Award Nominees Winners 2013 to present

Programs and full-time employees of Roanoke College and Hollins University are now eligible to be nominated.

Deadline for Nominations

The deadline for 2022 nominees is Monday, August 15 by 4 PM (EDT). All nominations with at least two required supporting documents must be received by the deadline to qualify as a nominee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.) Are supporting materials important to include along with my nomination form?

A.) Yes, at least two supporting letters/documents are required; any additional information will help the review committee learn more about your nominee and why you feel they should be selected as a recipient of an award. We highly recommend including samples or links to work, especially for visual artists.

Q.) How are nominations evaluated?

A.) The review committee will evaluate nominations through the lens of three core categories:

  1. Leadership contributions (i.e., advocacy, education, formal leadership roles, development of the arts community);
  2. Patronage (i.e., participation and/or financial support); and
  3. Overall body of work and involvement in the local arts community.

A strong nomination provides examples or evidence to support excellence in the above listed categories. Two letters in support of the nomination are required and examples of work (especially for visual artists) are encouraged to supplement the basic nomination form.

Q.) How are review committee members selected?

A.) Roanoke College and Hollins University have selected faculty with expertise in arts and culture along with community supporters. In addition, past year’s recipients will also serve on the committee to ensure a comprehensive scope and understanding of arts and culture in the greater Roanoke region.

Q.) Where will The Perry F. Kendig Arts and Culture Awards ceremony take place?

A.) The awards will alternate between Roanoke College and Hollins University. The 2022 awards presentation will take place in October at Hollins University, date TBD.

Q.) The organization/individual I want to nominate was a past recipient of a Perry F. Kendig Award. Are they eligible?

A.) Yes. As of 2013, and the new collaboration and programmatic offering between Roanoke College and Hollins University, only past recipients during 1985 and 2012 are eligible moving forward.