Published on January 17, 2025
SAN ANTONIO (January 17, 2025) – The Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors will present San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg with a distinguished arts leadership award on Sunday, January 19 during the 93rd Winter Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC. These awards honor three distinguished leaders’ steadfast support and advocacy for the arts.
The 2025 honorees are:
- Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas – National Award for Local Arts Leadership
- Ester Manheimer, Mayor of Asheville, North Carolina – National Award for Local Arts Leadership
- John Carney, Former Governor of Delaware – National Award for State Arts Leadership
“Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Mayor Esther Manheimer and former Governor John Carney have each shown exceptional leadership in showing how arts and culture strengthen our communities,” said Jamie Bennett and Suzy Delvalle, Interim Co-CEOs of Americans for the Arts. “They know that the arts make us stronger – as individuals, families, cities and states – so they have prioritized arts and culture in public policy and community initiatives focused on local economies, health and well-being and education. Their work – and their communities – are national examples of what is possible when the public sector invests in arts and culture.”
Mayor Nirenberg said, “The arts bring value and values to our lives. Through the arts, we celebrate the soul and character of the city. I am deeply honored to accept this award and equally grateful for the work of our city’s innovative and dedicated Department of Arts & Culture team as they nurture the arts in our city and educate our community on their many benefits.”
Reasons why the San Antonio Mayor was selected for this award include his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted San Antonio’s arts sector—largely funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax. During that time, the Mayor helped to prioritize artists and arts organizations in the city’s recovery plan, allocating more than $5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding to ensure their survival. Recognizing the arts as a key driver of economic recovery safeguarded a vital part of San Antonio’s identity.
Additionally, the Mayor championed increased funding for public art, with San Antonio increasing funding for public art from 1 percent to 1.5 percent of capital improvement projects and allocating first-time funding for the maintenance and management of San Antonio’s public art portfolio, which includes over 800 works.
“Mayor Ron Nirenberg has long advocated for the arts and culture in San Antonio,” said Department of Arts & Culture Director Krystal Jones. “As Mayor, he has made supporting the arts a cornerstone of his leadership, ensuring that San Antonio’s cultural community thrives and evolves.”
To learn more about the Department of Arts & Culture’s Public Art Program, visit SA.gov/Arts and follow them on @GetCreativeSA.
Americans for the Arts is the leading national organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. For more than 60 years the organization has represented and served local communities and created opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.
The United States Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.