Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce that eight projects have been submitted for the Robert E. Gard award.

The Gard award celebrates exemplary work at the intersection of the arts and community life and is named in honor of one of the founding fathers of the local arts movement and a champion of the arts role in the creation and maintenance of healthy, vibrant and equitable communities.

This award is one of seven national awards given out each year by Americans for the Arts which recognize excellence in leadership by individuals, organizations and programs across the arts field. This is the inaugural year of the award and it aims to raise up projects working to cross the arts into other aspects of community life in meaningful, measurable ways.

Submissions include:

•    Art @ Work: Sandtown
     Baltimore, MD

•    ArtsMemphis Community Engagement Fellowship
     Memphis, TN

•    Asian American Cultures Festival: The Kingdom of Kambuja
     Boston, MA

•    Duwamish Revealed
     Seattle, WA

•    Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art
     Pittsburgh, PA

•    Playgrounds for Useful Knowledge
     Philadelphia, PA

•    Round 43: Small Business/Big Change Economic
     Houston, TX

•    Universal Arts
     New Haven, CT

Beginning today members of Americans for the Arts can vote for of their favorite projects. The winner will be announced to the public on Saturday, June 18th during the 2016 Annual Convention in Boston, MA.

The last day to vote is Sunday, May 1, 2016. Members must login to their accounts at www.americansforthearts.org to submit their vote.

For questions, please contact the membership department at [email protected] or call 202-371-2830.

Photo caption: Clockwise: Asian American Cultures Festival: The Kingdom of Kambuja; Playgrounds for Useful Knowledge; Art @ Work: Sandtown; and Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art