The Minette Cooper Heart of the Arts Award is an annual honor established by the board of Young Audiences of Virginia, Inc., doing business as Arts for Learning Virginia and Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap Arts for Learning Virginia. It recognizes a Hampton Roads volunteer who embodies Mrs. Cooper’s passion for arts and cultural organizations and her commitment to arts education for future generations across the region’s seventeen cities and counties.
The award celebrates an individual who reflects her belief in active leadership and meaningful community collaboration to ensure the arts remain accessible to all.
Volunteers may be nominated by an individual, an arts and cultural organization, a civic organization, or a professional arts staff person.
How to submit a nomination:
- Please submit the nomination using the online nomination form found here. Self-nominees are accepted
- If you’d like to submit your nomination by mail, please follow the guidelines and criteria information below.
Guidelines and Criteria:
For mailed entries, please address the following four (4) criteria, not to exceed four (4 pages). Please note the following formatting requirements: Times New Roman, 12 pt Font, Line spacing 1.25 min, 1.5 max, 1-inch margins.
- Briefly describe the area(s) impacted by the nominee and the duration of the support. Areas of may include, but are not limited to arts education, arts and culture (museums, performing arts, choral arts, literary arts, theatre, dance, etc.)
- Please describe the nominee’s contribution to the arts in Hampton Roads. It can be related to financial contributions, in-kind donations, consistent volunteer efforts with an organization as well as possible board or committee membership. Think about time, talent and treasure.
- Please share how the community benefits from the nominee’s contributions.
- Please provide a summary statement explaining why the nominee should be selected and any future goals the nominee may have for participation in the arts and the life of the community. Include information the judges may not know, e.g. mentoring others for leadership roles.
Supporting Documents:
Nominators can submit up to four (4) attachments for amplification, e.g. letters of support, news clippings, pictures, etc.
Award submission timeline and deadline:
The call for nominations is issued by the board of Arts for Learning: Young Audiences of Virginia to Hampton Roads.
- Nominations will be accepted from April 22, 2026 to June 26, 2026.
- The deadline for receipt of online and mail-in nominations is June 26 by 5:00 p.m., 2026.
- The panel of judges will render a decision by August 2026. The announcement of the winner will be August 21, 2026.
- All nominees will be recognized, and the award recipient announced, at our Artoberfest luncheon on October 22, 2026.
Questions may be directed to:
Anna Heywood Green, Chief Executive Officer
Young Audiences of Virginia, Inc.
dba Arts for Learning Virginia and Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap
420 N. Center Dr., Ste 239, Norfolk, VA 23502
Direct: 757-961-7541 | ALGreen@Arts4LearningVA.org
To explore Minette Cooper’s legacy and understand why she holds a special place within our organization, please read more here.
