Lisa Cremin ’79, a director of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, received the 2016 Governor’s Award for the arts and humanities for her work in the arts community. She was recognized by Governor Nathan Deal and the first lady during the State Capitol ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.
The award is meant to “honor outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to Georgia’s civic and cultural vitality through excellence and service in the arts and humanities.” This achievement is especially remarkable for Cremin, who represents the first recipient who earned the award for her work as a grantmaker.
The president of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Alicia Philipp, commented, “Lisa Cremin is a master of relationship management. Atlanta’s arts community thrives because it has a sustained and vital ecosystem—and Lisa has been a major driving force behind it.”
Cremin started her work with the foundation in 1993, and under her guidance, its arts fund has grown to $9.2 million dollars and has given more than $12 million. She has focused her dedication on small- and medium-sized arts organizations and groups that provide access to the arts to underserved communities. Under her leadership, the fund has directly supported over 100 arts organizations.
At Hamilton, Cremin majored in photography. After graduating and before her work at the foundation, she created visual arts programs for both the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games. She was named the YWCA Woman of Achievement in 2014. Atlanta Magazine identified her as one of “25 Power Women to Watch” and “Five for the Future,” in 2005 and 2011, respectively.
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