MANCHESTER – As is the case with many nonprofit organizations this spring, the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts had to adapt to the ever-shifting landscape created by government restrictions related to the COVID-19 crisis. The organization decided that it was important to embrace the intersection of art and technology by presenting its annual signature event online allowing the NHBCA to fulfill its mission and recognize businesses of all shapes and sizes, individuals as well as organizations that contribute to the State’s vital arts and cultural community. It will be a weeklong celebration of the arts. Seven awards will be given out over the course of the week. This year’s nominees come from nearly every corner of the State including Nashua, Lebanon, Exeter and Keene.

On May 11 the Small Business Award Nominees will be recognized. They include Ciborowski Associates in Concord, Echo Communications in Sunapee as well as Ruffner Real Estate and Sea Dog Brewery in Exeter. Tuesday, May 12 is designated to honoring nominees In the Medium Business category (B2W Software and The River House both in Portsmouth) as well as the those being recognized for the brand-new Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health Artrepreneur Award. The artist entrepreneurs who have been nominated are Adam Arnone of Keene, Clark Todd of Concord, Rebecca Proctor of Dover, and Thomas Devaney of Concord.

On May 13, the Northeast Delta Dental Artsbuild Community Award is also new this year and will be presented to an arts or cultural organization for its partnership with a complementary organization, social services agency, or city municipality to make the arts widely accessible to the public. The nominees include the New Hampshire Theatre Project in Portsmouth, Redfern Arts Center in Keene, Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, TEAM in Exeter, Thing in the Spring in Peterborough, and Unchartered Tutoring in Manchester.

Thursday, May 14 will showcase the Large Businesses nominated for awards include Bank of America, Bank of New Hampshire, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, New England College, and Southern New Hampshire University. The week will end on Friday, May 15 with the presentation of the Business Leader Award.

Registration for the free Backstage Pass to the weeklong event is open at www.nhbca.com. In addition to finding out who the award winners are, the program includes dance performances by NH Dance Collaborative, music by Wood & Bone, and Bitter Pill, the self-described “rhythm and bluegrass band (lead by Billy Butler and his daughter Emily) who play a dark and anachronistic twist of folk, blues, jazz, and vaudeville” music. Other special guests include NH Artist Laurette Amanda Whitworth and the Commissioner of Arts and Cultural Resources Sarah Stewart. For the first time, the NHBCA is holding an art raffle fundraiser featuring original works of art by 12 New Hampshire artists. Tickets are just $25 each. Thirty-five percent of the proceeds will help to support NHBCA projects and initiatives, and 65% will be distributed to self-employed artists who are among those most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The NHBCA is excited to showcase the connection between art, commerce, and technology during the first-ever Arts Awards on the Digital Stage which will include a highly unique Augmented Reality art-experience. This adaptation of its signature event is made possible in thanks to all of its supporters including the Presenting Sponsors NH Business Review and New Hampshire Magazine. Additional media support is provided by 92.5 The River Radio and NHPR.

About the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts: The NHBCA is a nonprofit statewide membership organization dedicated to connecting art and commerce to drive economic and community development.

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