Springfield, MO—Samuel Knox, president of Unite of SWMO, Inc. has been nominated and chosen as one of three finalists for the Arts Ambassador Award given by The Springfield Regional Arts Council. This award highlights an individual or team that has taken an active role in building a sustainable and thriving ecosystem for the arts in the Ozarks. The recipient of this award is someone who has worked tirelessly to create, promote, or support the arts and has made a significant impact on the local arts community.
According to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Knox was anonymously nominated in this category because…
“Mr. Knox created and has led the Springfield Multicultural Festival for over 27 years. The SMF happens every January on MLK day and brings in thousands of participants by celebrating and introducing a multitude of cultural performances and heritages to the public. I’ve been fortunate to capture several of the festivals on camera and to see the joy and positive impact on the performers and the audiences. I strongly believe this is a wonderful thing for our community and that Samuel is long overdue for an Ozzie Award recognition.”
All applicants were judged by a panel of Missouri arts leaders and will be announced and awarded live at the 38th Annual Ozzie Awards, which will take place at the Springfield-Branson National Airport on October 14th.
Other award categories which also include three finalists were Arts Champion, Volunteer of the Year, and Excellence in Arts and Education. Knox was chosen as a finalist in the Arts Ambassador category along with Springfield Art Museum, Joshua Best, and Children’s Book Author, David Harrison.
These finalists were chosen out of over 70 nominations, and have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and passion within their respective categories, further contributing to the vibrant arts community in Springfield.
The award recipients will be unveiled at the 38th Annual Ozzie Awards. The event will take place on October 14th at the Springfield-Branson National Airport.
Individual tickets are available for purchase for $75, or $750 per table of 10 at https://www.springfieldarts.org/ozzie-awards/
The entire community is invited to come and honor Randy Russell, as well as celebrate the achievements of all the finalists and winners at this year’s Ozzie Awards. For more information about the Ozzie Awards and the Springfield Regional Arts Council, please visit https://www.springfieldarts.org/
