Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors presented 2012 Public Leadership in the Arts Awards to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn; Burnsville, MN Mayor Elizabeth Kautz; and Pembroke Pines, FL Mayor Frank Ortis today. In addition, Emmy Award®-winning actress Holland Taylor was honored with the 2012 Legendary Artist Award.

The awards honor elected officials and artists who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the advancement of the arts. Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors have given out the awards annually since 1997.

Throughout his public service career, Governor Pat Quinn has been a strong and vocal supporter of the arts and arts education and has remained committed to ensuring that all Illinois residents have meaningful opportunities to experience and participate in the arts. His leadership contributed to the passage of the Live Theatre Production Tax Credit Act for Illinois. Through the use of the credit, the State of Illinois has created a tool that allows the City and State to further develop Illinois as a leader in theatrical tourism. Governor Quinn included arts related projects in the Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, including a new Performing Arts Center at Western Illinois University that will create 400 jobs.

Mayor Elizabeth Kautz has insisted that art play a major role in the highly successful Heart of the City –€“ a mixed use redevelopment project in Burnsville'€™s revived downtown area. In addition, she is a prime supporter of the annual city Art and All That Jazz Festival that attracts over 10,000 music fans to an outdoor concert setting. She was a central proponent of the city'€™s $20 million Performing Arts Center, which was constructed without any new taxes, relying instead on revenues from the Tax Increment Financing and landfill host feels.

Recognizing that the arts were the key to Pembroke Pines'€™ vitality, Mayor Frank Ortis made it his mission to build arts and cultural resources into the city. His efforts include visionary initiatives to invest in much-needed infrastructure, including theater, classroom and studio space, as well as increasing opportunities for residents of all ages to enjoy and participate in the arts. He has been instrumental in the establishment of arts resources in Pembroke Pines, including Studio 18.

Holland Taylor'€™s career has spanned more than four decades. She has worked extensively in film and television, appearing in Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile, To Die For, Next Stop Wonderland, One Fine Day, George of the Jungle, The Truman Show, Keeping the Faith, Legally Blonde, and Baby Mama. On television, she has been nominated for an Emmy Award® seven times, winning Best Supporting Actress in a Drama for her popular rose Judge Roberta Kittleson on The Practice. Her numerous series starring roles include The Powers that Be, Bosom Buddies, and currently, Two and a Half Men. She has performed narrations for the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Essa-Pekka Salonen and John Adams, and narrated the "Harry Potter Suite," for John Williams at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

To learn more about the awards and see previous winners, please visit AmericansfortheArts.org.