The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County (CAFC) is proud to announce that Dana Tyler, Emmy-award winning CBS2 NYC News Anchor, will be this year’s keynote speaker at the fourth annual Arts & Culture Empowerment (ACE) Awards. ACE celebrates individuals, organizations, and businesses in Fairfield County who have made significant contributions to the Fairfield County community through arts and culture, or who have enriched the arts and culture sector through volunteerism or patronage.
The ACE Awards Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, June 5, 7:30 – 9:00 am at the Shore and Country Club in Norwalk. Tickets are now on sale at https://cafc2019aceawardsbreakfast.eventbrite.com
“We’re delighted to have Dana join us this year to deliver the keynote address at the 2019 ACE Awards and honor these arts and cultural champions from across our region who have enhanced our community through their passion for the arts, dedication to education, and sharing of their many talents,” CAFC Executive Director Angela Whitford.
Tyler recently mark her 28th year at CBS 2 in New York City. She started her journalism career at WBNS Channel 10 in her native Columbus, Ohio. In 1990, Tyler’s talent and enthusiasm took her from the nation’s 34th-biggest market to the biggest, joining WCBS as a weekend anchor. She quickly moved up to the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts in 1993, putting her alongside some of the best-known television news anchors in New York.
Tyler is passionate about the arts and has done countless stories and interviews on the Broadway industry and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including the annual broadcasts “CBS2 at the Tonys,” and “CBS2 at the Met.”
In addition to general assignment reporting and feature stories, she also hosted the “Tunnel to Towers Run” and participated in CBS2 sponsored events, such as the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” that raises awareness about breast cancer. She has also served for more than a decade on the Board of Trustees of Learning Leaders, the 7,000-member volunteer organization which was dedicated to the education of New York City public school students.
Tyler received The New York Association of Black Journalists Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from St. John's University, the Alumni Award for Distinguished Service from Boston University and numerous Emmy Awards.
ACE Artist Award: Jane Dávila, a fiber and mixed-media artist who incorporates many printmaking techniques in her work. She teaches printmaking, surface design, and art business workshops across the U.S., as well as internationally. Dávila works from a studio at the NEST Arts Factory in Bridgeport, where she is also the Managing Director.
ACE Citizen Award: Nick Visconti, a Westport-based philanthropist, serving on the board of directors of the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center Foundation, which has provided financial support to Westport Arts Collective, Westport Historical Society, Westport Arts Center, preservation groups and many other cultural institutions.
ACE Corporate Award: Cohen and Wolf, P.C., which prides itself on its active involvement in the community, serving leadership roles in more than 100 organizations, associations, commissions, and boards throughout the area.
ACE Educator Award: Gina Scarpa, the Director of Education at Center Stage and founder of the Center Stage Education Center, serving over 115 students from across Fairfield County and beyond each semester. She oversees all classes, camp programs and staff both at Center Stage and at area schools.
ACE Nonprofit Award: Founded in 2011, INTEMPO provides high-quality music education to children predominantly from immigrant or first-generation backgrounds and from communities under-represented in the arts, empowering them to leverage these skills to achieve life success.
CAFC is grateful to the generous ACE Award event sponsors: Studio2pt0, LLC; Cohen & Wolf, P.C.; Hobbs Inc.; Spinnaker Real Estate Partners; MX Mediacrossing; SpreadMusicNow; and Fairfield County Bank and appreciates their dedication to the vibrant arts and culture community in Fairfield County. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Angela Whitford for more information at angela@culturalalliancefc.org
To learn more, visit culturalalliancefc.org