Richard Renner said Sunday that after 40 years of performing all over the world, seeing awards and accolades, his Phoenix Award for contributions to the arts scene in Lawrence “without a doubt means the most.”

Renner, three other local artists and representatives of two arts organizations were honored during a ceremony Sunday at Theatre Lawrence. Several dozen community members attended the event, which included short videos created by KU journalism students.

The Phoenix Award winners are nominated by Lawrence community members and selected by Lawrence’s Cultural Arts Commission, a city advisory board. This was the first year for the awards since 2019.

Renner — the man behind the Lawrence Busker Festival, City Play Corps, Vodvill Entertainment Company and more — was nominated by Larry Carter for his long career in performing arts.

“I would just say how comfortable I feel living in Lawrence and how much it who I am, and the way I feel and the way I do things,” Renner said in his intro video. “Lawrence has accepted me being this unusual, unique person — much like the town — and I appreciate that.”

On Sunday, he joked that as a child, his mother always told him that whatever he does, he’s always going to get caught.

He knew she meant that as a warning. “But I also took it as meaning that whenever I do good, someone’s gonna see,” he said. “And I do appreciate you seeing me now, and I honor all the other awardees, as well, for being seen.”

Heidi Lynne Gluck, local musician and songwriter, was nominated by Brad Allen of the Lawrence Public Library. In her intro video, Gluck said it’s been important to her to show her son that art, expression and creativity matter, and it’s been a goal of her whole mothering life to keep going.

Gluck wanted to thank Allen, “who I’ve always thought has incredible taste,” she said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

“I’ve always said that Lawrence is just one of these places where you can really do anything you want to do,” Gluck said.

Mike Jones, teacher and director of the Lawrence High School band, was nominated by Tim Metz. In his video, Jones said his dad always told him he has to work for his entire life, and he might as well love what he does. Thinking about that led him to his career as a music teacher.

“I want to impart that passion for kids in the subject, which — music is amazing, but the longer I do it, it’s more about kids, and then the music comes second,” Jones said.

On Sunday, he thanked his current and former students, his colleagues, and his family.

Rita Rials, local playwright, thanked Derek Kwan of the Lied Center for her nomination. She also thanked her family, and specifically her sister, Nicole, who has appeared in multiple productions.

Rials also thanked her cast and crew members, the volunteers who “have done so much to support this,” and the city for the award.

In her video, Rials said there are so many systematic things that are wrong, and they need to be fixed, but we also need to teach our youth to stand up for social justice so that they will be heard.

Codi Bates, of Cider Gallery, accepted the first 2023 award given to a local arts organization.

She thanked two Cider Gallery team members, Jennifer Burkhead, executive director, and Jeromy Morris, director of fine arts, and said the gallery would not be where it is without them. Bates said the team is proud to be part of this community and to be able to showcase wonderful local and regional artists. Tiffany Hall, of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, nominated the Cider Gallery, which is turning 10 this year.

Four representatives of the Indigenous Community Center were present to accept the second award for a local arts organization. Felice Lavergne of Lawrence Transit nominated the ICC for their work to collaborate on a project to place Indigenous artwork on 10 bus shelters around town.

Sierra Two Bulls, a member of the ICC board, thanked current ICC board member Robert Hicks Jr. and former board member Monique Mercurio for their work on the project.

D’Arlyn Bell, who works for the ICC, expressed gratitude for the honor.

“We are thrilled, because we believe that representation matters, and we think that Indigenous art in Lawrence, Kansas can be a powerful tool to draw attention to issues that affect our community: colonization, ecological disaster and climate change, and all of the social issues that we see,” Bell said. “We think that art is a powerful tool to draw attention to these issues.”

Bell encouraged people to read the artist statements accompanying the bus shelter project.

Mercurio said the BIPOC community in Lawrence recognizes intentional interactions and support, and they wanted to thank Lavergne and Lawrence Transit for giving them the space.

Tokeya Waci U (Comes Dancing First) Richardson, whose work is on the bus shelters at Iowa Street and Harvard Road and Sixth Street and Kasold Drive, said he appreciated the recognition for this. “It’s beautiful and it makes me feel good.” He said he wanted to implore everyone to recognize local artists because they are what make this town “beautiful and big.”

Artist Toni Brou, who created the physical Phoenix Awards for the winners, said she lost a couple of family members really close together in 2000, and she began creating the suns as therapy for herself.

“I kept telling myself that the sun always rises,” she said.

The suns often include things that she’s salvaged. That’s a nod to her father, who would create what he called “junk art” from found objects and who really helped foster her creativity, Brou said.

Rebekka Schlichting, who teaches journalism classes at KU, is also a member of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission. She tasked her students with creating short videos about each of the award winners.

Those students included Jackson W. Bezdek, Ella Brown, Henri M. Groves, Lanie C. Hochenauer, Maddie C. Mayfield, Karen M. Morales, Bella Oliff, Jess Oloba, Lane Rozin Phifer, Alexee A. Schmidt, Stella Mary Shotkoski, Grace Swift, Juan M. Valadez and Max C. Waltmire, according to the event program. Mary Doveton, former director of Theatre Lawrence and member of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission who served as the master of ceremonies, thanked them for their work, though they weren’t in attendance on Sunday.

See a list of the previous 23 groups of Phoenix Award winners at this link. Read more about these artists from their nominations at this link.

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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

Molly Adams (she/her), photojournalist for The Lawrence Times, can be reached at molly (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Check out more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

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