NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Oct. 6, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ann Dee Lee
Public Information Director
Oklahoma Arts Council
(405) 521-2931
anndee@arts.ok.gov
KITTY ROBERTS TO RECEIVE
GOVERNOR’S ARTS AWARD
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council, 16 individuals and five organizations will be honored for their contributions to the arts in their communities or throughout the state. The ceremony is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 20th in the 4th Floor Rotunda of the State Capitol and is open to the public. Presiding at the ceremony will be Council Chair Kym Koch Thompson and Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Suzanne Tate. A reception on the first floor of the Capitol will follow the 4 p.m. ceremony.
Throughout her career, Kitty Roberts has been a driving force in professional theatre in Tulsa and has fostered cultural change, pioneered arts education outreach and broken new ground for women in leadership roles in both the arts and journalism. In 1970, Roberts founded American Theatre Company (ATC) and was a key player in organizing and launching the Living Arts of Tulsa organization. Since that time she has been at the helm as ATC’s Producing Artistic Director, produced over 300 shows as well as having directed and performed in 21 of those productions.
In addition to establishing a resident professional company at Tulsa’s Philbrook Arts Center, Roberts established a board of directors, a volunteer support group and an internship program. She acquired funding for and administered four statewide summer tours, established a workshop program with Tulsa Public Schools and acquired funding for a statewide education program. She wrote many grants for local and stage agencies, foundations and corporations and the National Endowment for the Arts. She then established ATC as a resident company at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center (PAC).
In the late 70’s, Roberts established a second stage facility – The Brook – in which she produced a complete second season (in addition to the main stage season at the PAC) and further developed programs for youth. She created the benefit preview program which assists schools and community service groups in raising funds by providing cost free performances as fundraisers and annually generates approximately $20,000 for the community. Roberts has made complimentary passes and educational scholarships available to anyone who could otherwise not afford to attend ATC productions and classes.
In 1996 Roberts established a public-private partnership with the City of Tulsa’s Parks Department which was the first of its kind in Oklahoma. This partnership combined the Tulsa Park facility of Manion Park with ATC’s multi-faceted programming, a successful partnership that continues to thrive to this day.
Throughout her professional career, Roberts has been a member of Women in Communications and American Women in Radio & Television. Roberts was named as one of the three outstanding women in Oklahoma in 1979 by Women in Communications and was the recipient of the Pinnacle Award in Arts in 1992. For many years she served on the Oklahoma Arts Council Theatre Advisory Panel and served as a theatre evaluator for the NEA.
Roberts obtained her B.S. in Journalism at the University of Tulsa in 1968. Possessing a lifelong passion for the performing art of live theatre, Roberts quickly became involved in the TU Theatre Department and KWGS, the university radio station. Upon graduating, Roberts was employed at KMOD Radio and became the first female Operations Director in the state of Oklahoma. Returning to her journalistic roots, she then became the first Oklahoma female News Director for both KMOD and KXX0 All News Radio.
Roberts adheres to a firm belief that live theatre should be made available to everyone. With her journalism background, public relations skills, and her valuable and extensive community connections, Roberts has been a powerful arts advocate and has articulated the importance of the arts in multiple forums.A complete list of Governor’s Arts Awards recipients and their photos are available at www.arts.ok.gov. For more information about the Governor’s Arts Awards, please contact Ann Dee Lee at (405) 521-2931 or at anndee@arts.ok.gov.
ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL
The Oklahoma Arts Council is a state agency whose mission is to improve lives through the arts by promoting and sustaining the development of a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education and economic vitality for all Oklahomans.
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