{"id":149397,"date":"2026-05-17T12:01:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T16:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=149397"},"modified":"2026-05-17T19:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T23:01:28","slug":"artsquest-foundation-announces-recipients-for-10th-anniversary-linny-awards-presented-by-elaine-emrick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=149397","title":{"rendered":"ArtsQuest Foundation Announces Recipients for 10th Anniversary Linny Awards Presented by Elaine Emrick"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, May 15, 2026 &#8211; The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJwsy7FuwyAQANCvgQ3rOA5zHhiy5DcibM4xqp00QBO1X1-l6vqklyPyQjBqiTYEZh_AWr1FnpGA52V0NNt5cd6CXx2OGVc3QUi6xDFBcISEE4m7WIIxsfPskyJoJctHeZgjlV1qM4vnTEyrN7e2_eTh7XqPW--fTbmTwrPC8-v1GlLt7fElrQ_3elV41ofkkkyVXVITU3L8g8s_KHdCJhtY11hu610R9E2ead_le5d8lTos90O3XkWO92bijG5iE0SyIV7BTIRiwhx4tQgpT6CfEX8DAAD__9t1VNQ\">ArtsQuest<\/a>\u00a0Foundation has announced the full list of honorees for the 10<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine Emrick, an annual celebration recognizing the individuals,\u00a0organizations\u00a0and emerging artists whose passion and dedication continue to shape the Lehigh Valley\u2019s thriving arts and cultural landscape.<\/p>\n<p>The 10<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine Emrick, pay tribute to the legacy of Marlene \u201cLinny\u201d Fowler, a longtime champion of the arts whose advocacy helped lay the foundation for the\u00a0region\u2019s creative\u00a0community. Elaine Emrick has served as the title sponsor of the Linny Awards since 2024, helping support and elevate the program\u2019s continued growth and impact across the region. The awards are presented to distinguished individuals from the region for their long-term commitment and dedication to the arts. This year\u2019s celebration will take place on October 15, 2026, in the Musikfest Caf\u00e9 at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEach year, the Linny Awards reminds us that the strength of our arts community is grounded in the people who show up to create, champion and invest in it year after year,\u201d said Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest. \u201cFrom artists and educators to business leaders, volunteers and philanthropists, this year\u2019s honorees reflect the tremendous talent and generosity that defines the Lehigh Valley. Their work fuels connection, inspires future generations and helps drive our region forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>New this year, the 10<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine Emrick will introduce a\u00a0<strong>Culinary Artist of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0category, recognizing the artistry and creativity of chefs and culinary professionals whose work elevates food as an expressive and cultural medium.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The full list of this year\u2019s honorees\u00a0include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lifetime Achievement<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Ashley Russo<\/li>\n<li><strong>Philanthropy in the Arts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Michael and Michele Pessina<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business Supporter of the Arts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 C.F. Martin &amp; Co.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Culinary Artist of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Chef Will Rufe<\/li>\n<li><strong>Visual Artist of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Katie Hovencamp<\/li>\n<li><strong>Arts Educator of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Tiffany Anderson<\/li>\n<li><strong>Performing Artist of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Vernon Mobley<\/li>\n<li><strong>Student Artist Scholarship<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Raeya Bell<\/li>\n<li><strong>Volunteer of the Year<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Ronda Senior<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tickets for the 10<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine Emrick go on sale May 15<\/strong>, with Early Bird pricing of $199 available for a limited time before increasing on September 7. For tickets and additional information, please visit:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJwsy03O2yAQANDTwA6Ln8EMCxbZ5BrRxIxjVOw0QGOlp69SfdsnvZwsLqBnycmEgOiDNkZuieLdL2Fh9OAN-KjxDiu5OQCvGNHKkmbSwYEFG4HdzYCeCZ1HTwJ0L5l_lZfaqVRuXS0eMyCsXh19-5unr8uatjF-d-Euwl6FvZ7nOVEb_fWH-5ie7SHsdWysajmOj6KTWu5y51xINa5MnVXJ6T_cfkC4i0UwAWVL5VifAvTY-E218qdyfnCblucu-2jM-3cjYLYuogrMWQGuWkWwrMI94Gqsphy1fCf7LwAA__8W6FtF\">www.artsquest.org\/the-linny-awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Award recipients were selected by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board of Trustees, the ArtsQuest Board of Trustees, the ArtsQuest Performing Arts\u00a0Board\u00a0and the ArtsQuest Visual Arts Board.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About the Linny Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For more than a quarter-century, Marlene \u201cLinny\u201d Fowler of Bethlehem worked tirelessly to elevate the Lehigh Valley\u2019s arts organizations and artists through her volunteerism and her support. Now, the region celebrates its flourishing arts community and honors Fowler\u2019s memory by taking part in the Linny Awards, the multi-disciplinary arts awards program focused on the greater Lehigh Valley\u2019s artists,\u00a0innovators\u00a0and arts leaders.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About ArtsQuest<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUstuozAU_RrYgcz1kwUL2oiITqN0Zpo2nU1l40txIdBg0ij9-hFpOqpmc2ydl6wj2wxUxYgIMUukVIpLkiRhk1lBlK5JbSyVdZ1SLVhtFFXCqBoqxkKXCU0kZcAgZUifE0aEVpQrrgNGvLPYun20067D0UcVV5YpVvOo982HjWc-7LJmmt58QPMAigCKXu8IxF7X2Lm-9fHbOExYTW7o4-EwdcPQxtWwm720OIxdQBefeeBzA587OBTH4zHW4-T3B_RTPIwvF0lYPemALggPgMtrAufDtIg9ngLgjPyfktdVRROpTVUJ0EwoWpmEE2URKAJPNb2YCGgDWlhhmGXEGNQitZom1BIlP03kGwqqUiUFBxBCKAZUnOlN3_bDsT_f7x-LN7P84w21Ck83hdleEdwkTbVs3br_dbKPG192T27tyuPta35YLfLj6rr0ZZe7tbvZ6kf2sXKlL9tiXb4O7tx31u2mfB1O9c95tcUXfL3sOwh_GYyXSSl_3N8_LB9ut_92vmqWJudNdbN6GCzcFXza3-WfynJf_d4-XbrFiB7Hd7Tz9OEOrdPRiB1qj5Gz2Zl4vhABzUGxRKpwzFxfDwEjU4Pvuuvw1KF9wXH-AKGfRsTdnFZMWaCpiiSijZiqSZQywEgaqeoEiLYpCd8z-BsAAP__Jkjdgw\">ArtsQuest&#8217;s<\/a><u>\u00a0<\/u>mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic,\u00a0cultural\u00a0and educational experiences, using arts and culture as drivers of economic development in our urban communities. ArtsQuest supports this mission through performing and visual arts, film, arts education and outreach, youth programming and a wide range of cultural events, anchored by signature venues and initiatives including its flagship event,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxMUUtTq0wU_DWwg5r3Y8EiJh8Wln6p-4jxurGGmYMZIRAZEOOvvwXGum76TPXp7prq4zKiLEMihgxLqRSXCOP4kAllhKyk1QxhzTU4Yi0GrTRnFmtuY58JgyRlhBHNgD5hhoRRlCtuIoaCd1D71-RofAN9SCxXjilW8aQNhw-XznzcZIdhOIWIriKSRyRvzRGRNJgKGt_WIT313QB28F2bduPQdF2d2u44a2k-9k1EN59-wucEPmdwkk_TlB7H4OsKwpB2_fNlJZwZTEQ3iEeEyzUiyyhrgBbOEeEMmX4Ir-M_l1xbS7E0pbWCGCYUtSXmSDkgFAjXhl5EiJiSGOFEyRxDZQlGaGcopg4p-SlC31BQpZUUnBAhJBaIiYXetXXbTe3y_r3PT-X1YyipU3C-ycuHKwQ7fLDXtd-2P89uvwtF88dvfTHdvqzGu81qulsXoWhWfutvHsyefdz5IhR1vi1eOr_kLXu3K166c_Vjbm3zBV8_-w4iXArz--ft6f3-pMg9e51Ue_so-ttf0_3_k3kAF06jGrdzx1fufRnr6r9LrughQP8Gbq49PoLzJumhARMg8S5biKcLEdEVUQxLFfeZb6suYmg4wJtpGjg34J6hn48fh6EHOM5uxZQjVKtEAriEqQolmhFIZClVhQkyTqP4LSN_AwAA__9Svt3b\">Musikfest<\/a>; the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUk1P6zoU_DXJLpW_YjuLLApVeUGgCvT64N0NOrFPWpOvYrutyq-_SihX6G4m0XhmfDTHtmTaCCJTLKlSWueKUJruS6ksFDmwQlpJhQZmjCHMakq5Moxj6koJRHHBBCsE8jcqiATNc51DIkhwFlv3kfXgOvQhM7m2Qosmz4aw_7SLiU-7ch_jISR8mbB1wtYD9IQtAjTYuaENi4MfI5roxmExHmM3ju3CjP2k5euj7xK--vKzfErIp4ycrc_n8wJ8DB9HDHEx-t3MenQ97NyAWdxDzAwcXIQuM9AfwO2GWfPHlRmPEN0JswZMHP3lmi4tREj4iuQJy9UtYfOnbhEHnDSC_H2xujWGUwW1MZKBkJqbmuZEW2QcWV4Av4oIg5qBtLIWVpC6RpCFBU65JVp9icgPlFwXWsmcMSkVp7L4GmU7tMN4Hub_f1_Wh_ruV6i51Xi5X9evNwS3dG_uWrcZni_2ZRuq7n-3cdX54X15fFwtz4-3Vai6pdu4-1d4EZ-PrgpVu95U76Ob8-Zzu63ex0vzNBW_-obvyX6CDNfCzhdsnzZ0084rumlMNdT_fazIvLab1j-Yu-e-c-ak5am7FJT-s73mSo8B_QntVHvao3WQeewQAmbOljPxdiUSvmRaUKVTX7qhGRNB4h5P0HV46dDu0E_vJw3RI_aTWwttGS90phBtJnRDskIwzFStdEMZAVuQ9FSy3wEAAP__jI32Bw\">ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL<\/a>, a centerpiece for the Valley&#8217;s artistic communities; the ArtsQuest Center at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxMUctuszgYfRrYgezPVxYsMo2o6LSKpjPpZTaVLx-NA4EWk6D06X-RplI3x9a5yTr2JWjHiUyxpEppLRShNN2V6BCs8E57EK6RjaMKpaecNtZJrmkaSmmIYhw4FBzZG-VEGs2EFibhJAaPbfjMDiZ0OMbMCe255o3I-rj78vnCp125m6aPmLBVAlUCVW8OBPJoGuxC38b8YxwmdFMY-nw4Tt0wtLkbDouXVcexS9j6Ow9iaRBLh4Bqnuc8TohdnIxrYz6M71dRejOZhK2JSECoGwKXw7aIPZ4TEJyYcYqfR4zTNaVunGNUGeucBMOlZs5SQbRHYAiiMOxqImAsGOml5Z4Ta9HIwhtGmSdafZvIL5RMF1pJASCl4lITdaG3fdsPc3-5__dcfdjb_6NlXuP5rrIvfxHc0p27bcOmfzz7522su9ewCfV8v18dH9ar-eGmjnW3Cptw92Ke-ddDqGPdVpt6P4RL30X323o_nJt_lt3WP_Dzst8g43WwUJ9APrXH_tDvojtvobOvZvPoYD427093j__GZr96-Rvvm_raJ0eMOJ7QL3OnB_TBZCN2aCJmwZcX4u1KJGwFmlOl07EMfTMknEw7PJmuw3OH_h3H5dvTOI2IhyWtufbACp0pRJ9x3ZCs4ICZsko3FIjxBUlPJfwJAAD__xus3nw\">SteelStacks<\/a><u>;<\/u>\u00a0and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUk9P6z4Q_DTJLZX_2znkUKgKQaAK9KvgxwU58SZ1kzjFdukrn_4paZHQu4zt2dnxarSmIKpmSKRQYCmV4hJhnO6KKhdNbgzOBc4RiEYypBiuNQckgBGT2kJoJCkjjOQM6AdmSGhFueI6YShYA539zAZte_Ahq7kyTLGGZy7svs1i4tO-2MV4CAldJmSdkLXTAyKLoBvorevC4uDHCHW0o1uMx9iPY7eox2HS0vXR9wldXfoJnxz45MHJ-nQ6LbSP4fMIIS5G386sBzvo1jrI4k7HrNYHG3Wf1Xo4aNu6WROP3mXamaz11pks7MbD1VYYHXVCV4gnhMtbROaj6gAcnBPCGfr3R3lb1xRLXdW1IJoJResKc6QMEAqE55peRYjoimhhRMUMQ1UFWuRGU0wNUvIiQr9QUJUrKTghQkiBkbxMtHWdG09uvv_3uj5Ud--hokbB-WFdvd0g2OJdfdfZjXs5m9dtKPv_7caWp8f98vi0Wp6ebstQ9ku7sQ9v-pV9P9kylN16U-5HO_vNdbMt9-O5eZ4SX_3Az2S_QYRrYND6Pd8I_1JPSd78edg-Nhh1dH7F0rV79B6f7-8_3bBs2pW-FNqrt_AQwH-BmaJPBzBWZx560AEya4qZ-LgSCV0SxbBUqS-sa8aEobiDL933cO7BtOCn5UlD9ADD1K2YMoTmKpMAJmOqQVnOCGSykqrBBGmTo_SrIH8DAAD__xZS82w\">LVHN, part of Jefferson Health Turn &amp; Grind Shop<\/a><u>,<\/u>\u00a0an adaptive reuse project expanding space for programming, festivals, private events and nationally touring exhibits. ArtsQuest welcomes more than\u00a02 million people\u00a0annually, with\u00a0nearly 40 percent\u00a0of its programs free to attend, generating a regional economic impact of close to $193 million in 2025. ArtsQuest&#8217;s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxckk9v4joUxT9Nsgty_D-LLHjwUqV9fZTRINrZVDf2DbgJCdgBSj_9KJSOqtlcW8fn_Gwd2eZUG05kjHmqlNZCkTSNtzkopbSglhhRgUqpBUnQpJmArLZgWexyCUQxTjnNOLLXlBMJmgktIOIkOIuNOyQ7cC36kBihLde8FkkXth92Mupxm2-HYR8iNo1oEdGigx2hkwA1tq5rwmTv-wHN4Ppu0h-Htu-biel3o5cVR99GbP6Zp2IkiJEhaHE-nyfgh3A4Yhgmvd9cVY9uBxvXYTJsYUgM7N0AbWJgtwe36a6eP6nEeITBnTCpwQy9v9zo0sIAEZsTEVGhZoRel6pB7HD0cPL3xWpmDEsVVMZIClxqZqpUEG2RMqQiA3YzEQoVBWllxS0nVYUgMwssZZZo9Wki36ZkOtNKCkqlVEow8imvuqbrz911_3Nd7Ku7X6FiVuPlvqie_yG4SrfmrnGL7sfFrlehbF_cwpXn_96mx8f59Pw4K0PZTt3C3T_Dmn88ujKUTbEo33p35V3P7ap86y_1cix-_jW-XvZ9yHArDMXHw9Ivl_Rpvnx4-vf9YLJVUb3M_PsiVezh8P_muZRPZ2zW4caTHgP6E9qx7niH1kHisUUImDibX4XXmxCxKdU8VTr2uevqPuJk2OIJ2hYvLdoN-vHfxGHwiLsxrbm2lGU6UYg24bomScYpJqpSuk4pAZuR-JTT3wEAAP__5ur0tw\">Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign<\/a><u>\u00a0<\/u>supports the continued growth of its mission to make the arts accessible for all.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Information provided to TVL by:<br \/>\nBryn Keeney<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, May 15, 2026 &#8211; The\u00a0ArtsQuest\u00a0Foundation has announced the full list of honorees for the 10th\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine Emrick, an annual celebration recognizing the individuals,\u00a0organizations\u00a0and emerging artists whose passion and dedication continue to shape the Lehigh Valley\u2019s thriving arts and cultural landscape. The 10th\u00a0Anniversary Linny Awards presented by Elaine &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=149397\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">ArtsQuest Foundation Announces Recipients for 10th Anniversary Linny Awards Presented by Elaine Emrick<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149394,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5717,69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bethlehem","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/linny-26.jpg?fit=672%2C372&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=149397"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149403,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149397\/revisions\/149403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/149394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=149397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=149397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=149397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}