Earlville Opera House Director Michelle Connelly was chosen as Arts Manager of the Year for Small Organizations for this year's Impact Awards, presented by the Undergraduate and Graduate Arts Administration Programs of Le Moyne College in Syracuse. (Submitted photo)

EARLVILLE — Earlville Opera House Executive Director Michelle Connelly has been chosen as Arts Manager of the Year for Small Organizations by the Undergraduate and Graduate Arts Administration Programs of Le Moyne College, Syracuse, at this year's Impact Awards: Celebrating Arts & Culture.

The Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, March 7 at 6 p.m. on the campus of Le Moyne College in the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts. As stated by Travis Newton, Associate Professor and Director of the Arts Administration Programs and Author of Orchestra Management Handbook, Oxford University Press, “This year’s committee had the unenviable task of combing through a very competitive pool of nominees, and choices were made very difficult by the high quality of work being done to further the arts in our communities.”

Le Moyne College's Impact Awards celebrate those who work behind the scenes to produce, present, curate and/or teach the arts. These awards focus on recognizing the leaders, managers, teachers and community leaders who help to ensure art makes it to the eyes and ears of the communities they serve.

Connelly began her arts administrative career in 1997 as Program and Development Director for the Chenango Arts Council, and by the time of her departure in 2017 had become a highly respected and distinguished member of the New York State arts field.

Currently in her fifth year as Executive Director for Earlville Opera House, she is influential in working to successfully realize the dual mission of the historic arts center to “enrich Central New York through the arts while preserving its historic building for future generations."

Connelly is currently a Board member of Colgate University’s Upstate Institute; serves on the Earlville Events Committee and Earlville For Earlville Committee; and is a founding member of Non-Profit Connections for Chenango County. She works with a dedicated passion for engaging people in the arts in order to foster social bonds which are an integral part of community building and economic development. Connelly is “honored to be a recipient of this very meaningful recognition.”

This year's Impact Awards keynote speaker is Alan Brown, a leading researcher and management consultant in the arts and culture sector worldwide. Connelly will be presented her award by Mark Golden, CEO and Co-founder of Golden Artist Colors.

Le Moyne College’s new Graduate Programs in Arts Administration offer opportunities to study and apply management concepts in an arts environment to gain perspective on managing a creative workforce, all of which will benefit a career in the visual and performing arts.

To register to attend the event in the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts, call the EOH office at (315) 691-3550. Masks are required and guests must show proof of vaccination at the door.

The Earlville Opera House is located at 18 East Main Street in the charming Village of Earlville, NY and is handicap accessible. Vaccine proof required at door, masks worn inside. Please check our website for the latest updates and for further information on our programs and services, and like us on Facebook!

Events are made possible, in part, with public funds from New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor of New York and the New York State Legislature, and through the generosity of EOH members.

-from the Earlville Opera House