During the 1930s, native Richmonder Theresa Pollak (1899-2002) founded both the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts and the University of Richmond arts programs. By extension, the students who’ve attended those schools and moved into the wider world have made incalculable contributions to their communities. This year’s Pollak Prize honorees, as with others over nearly two decades, are an enduring part of her legacy, and like her, many of them have challenged orthodoxies and altered perceptions. Still others entertain us and inspire us to get up and dance. That’s all part of the cultural life that Pollak and her artistic descendants made possible. Starting in 2014, the categories were split in two groups and their recognition became biennial. This year’s awards are for applied arts, dance, film, photography, emerging artist and lifetime achievement.
View the full list of this year's recipients here and see photos of the winner's reception at Dogtown Dance Theatre on Oct. 26 below. (All photos by Jay Paul)
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FIlm honoree Anne Chapman with her husband, Guy (left), and parents, Eugene and Lois Trani
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Richmond magazine's Tina Eshleman welcomes guests at the event.
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Photography honoree Terry Brown
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Applied arts honoree Michael-Birch Pierce
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Emerging artist honoree Eva Rocha
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Emerging artist honoree Eva Rocha
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Film honoree Anne Chapman
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Alice Livingston accepts the Pollak award for her mother, the late Beverly Reynolds
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After the ceremony, guests toasted with wine from Cupcake Vineyards.
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"My hat is off to you," Pollaks host Harry Kollatz Jr. tells the honorees.
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Richmond magazine's Rachel Yonan presents photography honoree Terry Brown with a framed print of a portrait of photographer Willie Anne Wright by Theresa Pollak.
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Applied arts honoree Michael-Birch Pierce
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Dance honoree Martha Curtis with Harry Kollatz Jr.
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Film honoree Anne Chapman
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Film honoree Anne Chapman and Harry Kollatz Jr.
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Alice Livingston reflects on her late mother, Beverly Reynolds, who was honored with the Pollak award for lifetime achievement.
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Previous Pollak honorees Rob Womack and Catherine Roseberry of Coloratura (from left) with Katie Ukrop of Quirk Gallery and Hotel, and Bill Martin of The Valentine.
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Anne Chapman gets a hug. At right is actress Eva DeVirgilis.
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The reception spread was provided by Chez Foushee.
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Rei Alverez of Bio Ritmo is an earlier Pollak honoree for music.
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Attorney Joan Davis demonstrates her support for the Pollaks!
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Previous honoree Andrea Donnelly (right) and Jordan Matthews
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Cultural observer Jerry Williams, aka TV Jerry, of Sifter (right) with his husband, Mark Reed
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Photography honoree Terry Brown (right) with Jocelyn Senn and friends
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Previous film honoree Robert Griffith (from left), previous art honoree Jay Barrows, and Bill and Pam Royall
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Eileen Edmonds (center)
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Emerging artist honoree Eva Rocha (second from left) with her husband, Spencer Turner (left), Gregory Donovan, Michele Poulos and Harry Kollatz Jr.
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The Pollaks ceremony was held at Dogtown Dance Theatre on Bainbridge Street.
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Bethany J. Miller of the Greater Richmond Partnership (from left), Austin A. Jones with Dominion Resources, Inc. and Domenick Casuccio of The Valentine (right)
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Actors Scott Wichmann (currently appearing in "Peter and the Starcatcher") and Eva DeVirgilis
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Dance honoree Martha Curtis (right), with Melanie Richards, associate professor, VCU Dance; and James Frazier, professor and associate dean, VCUarts.
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Joan Davis of the Schroder Davis law firm, the event's main sponsor, shows her special Pollak tattoo.
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Photography honoree Terry Brown with images from The Valentine's "Beard Wars" series.
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Photography honoree Terry Brown with photos from the 1708 Gallery's "InLight" exhibitions.
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Photography honoree Terry Brown
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Harry Kollatz Jr. and Rachel Yonan of Richmond magazine, with a photo of applied arts honoree Michael-Birch Pierce on the screen.
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Casting director Anne Chapman, a Pollak honoree for film
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Dance honoree Martha Curtis with her husband, Bruce Berryhill (left) and Marc Elim.
