WORCESTER — Birgit Straehle and Luis Fraire, two well-known and active participants in the Worcester arts scene, will receive the 42nd Annual ArtsWorcester Award in September.
The ArtsWorcester Award is given “to those making extraordinary contributions to arts and culture in this city,” the arts organization said in an announcement. The award will be presented at ArtsWorcester’s annual celebration beginning at 5 p.m. on Sept. 4.
In 2022, Straehle and Fraire, who are also wife and husband, bought the White Room, an event venue at 138 Green St., in the Canal District, taking on a unique Worcester property and and making it a home for art and community. The White Room now showcases visual artists, dancers and poets, providing “a crucially-needed platform for creativity and for audiences to discover more of the city’s talent,” ArtsWorcester said.
Previously, as respectively creative consultant and director of the former Sprinkler Factory, Straehle and Fraire produced or hosted more than 150 exhibitions. Many of them were curated exhibitions of visual art, with countless artists. Other events included Shakespeare plays, contra dance, classical Indian music, Cinema Worcester, the Worcester Film Festival, the Worcester Armenian Film Festival, 4th Wall Stage Company, POW! WOW! Worcester, Cirque du Noir, Bread and Puppet Theater, concerts, art markets, book fairs, poetry readings, and collaborations with ArtsWorcester, the Worcester Art Museum and Worcester Public Schools.
“Birgit and Luis have an extraordinary talent for connecting people and connecting them to, and through art,” said Juliet Feibel, executive director of ArtsWorcester. “So many relationships — between artists, friends, project partners, even spouses — have been created because of them.”The presentation of the 42nd Annual ArtsWorcester Award will take place at 5 p.m. Sept. 4 on the seventh floor of the Printers Building, 44 Portland St. Following the award presentation, guests will regroup on the first floor in the ArtsWorcester galleries at 44 Portland St. to celebrate the opening public reception of “Material Needs 2024.” This exhibition showcases the work of eight diverse artists who received grants in 2023 to fund their cost of materials. A total of $10,000, made possible by an anonymous donor, was awarded across these artists to encourage innovation in their practice. Artists featured in the showcase include Christian Bachez, Lisa Barthelson, Nathan Fiske, Colleen Fitzgerald, Bridey McGlynn, Julia Mongeon, Danielle Ray and Joanne Stowell.
This events are free and open the public. Light refreshments and a cash bar will be available at the reception for “Material Needs 2024.” Guests are asked to register for the awards ceremony by visiting www.artsworcester.org/events.
