This year, I was happy to play a small part of the nomination process and see recognition given to many of the folks I nominated. But, as always, I was perplexed by the concept of the project and what its purpose is. Robbie Robinson of City Limits Barbeque was recognized, as well. Clearly, restaurant owners who frequently put their own financial livelihoods on the line are deserving of praise, especially those like Kristian Niemi who is committed not just to his patrons but also to the local farmers who provide the food for his restaurants.
Restaurants are essentially small businesses but they can have a large impact on their communities by providing gathering spaces where we all feed both our appetites and our culture. The team at Transmission Arcade is a great example of a group seeing a city need and addressing it head-on with fun and innovative programming.
Slattery and Moscato are absolute warriors for the health and care of their corner of Columbia. Jasper honors them. Harbison Theatre has welcomed many local artists and arts groups onto their stage. And both theatres are the homes to Jasper Gallery sites where we are privileged to present the work of exclusively Midlands area artists.
The list of powerful artists could have included dozens of names, but I am thankful for what we got and honor those recipients with pride and admiration. It was also encouraging to read that Dr. But how does one separate and compare the work of rectifying history, like Donaldson does, with that of making menus and making art?
Food, arts, and culture, the three areas where Free Times looked for leaders, are overlapping zones in the Venn diagram of community life with food and art being among the most meaningful contributors to culture.
