In the Hampton Roads community, few people did more than Minette Cooper to ensure the rhythm of a drum circle, a dancer’s arc across a school gym; the drama of a stage production; or the quiet interlude following a dramatic reading. Her leadership, vision, and relentless belief in the transformative power of the arts and cultural organizations helped shape Arts for Learning Virginia and strengthened the Young Audiences national movement that connects children to creativity nationwide.
Minette’s story is intertwined with the very roots of our organization. Her family’s connection to Young Audiences began with her father-in-law, Dudley Cooper, a foundational figure in establishing the Virginia affiliate. Minette picked up that torch with resolve—first as the organization’s volunteer program director, then serving as a three-time board president, and later as a national board member with Young Audiences, Inc. (New York). Throughout the decades, she led with clarity and heart, pushing us to ask better questions, make stronger plans, and serve more children with more meaningful arts experiences.
From the earliest days of Arts for Learning Virginia, Minette believed that an impactful arts organization must be both visionary and practical. Her leadership presence could fill the room, not only with volume, but with conviction. Colleagues and artists remember how she attended to details and how she insisted we return again to our mission: Are we making the arts accessible to children who need them most? Are we building a model that lasts?
Within Arts for Learning Virginia, “the Minette test” became shorthand for a standard we continue to uphold: Do the numbers add up—and does the plan serve the mission? As we reflect on her leadership style, we’re reminded that strong organizations are built with transparent budgets, robust governance and clear accountability. Just as important, she reminded us that the arts are human work — made of stories, relationships, and the belief that every child deserves access to creative expression.
To honor and keep Minette’s example of how to support, grow and celebrate the arts, we have created the Heart of the Arts Award to be bestowed in this inaugural year of 2026 to continue the work she made possible:
• Champion artists as educators and partners,
• Bring the arts to classrooms where access is limited,
• Govern with integrity by balancing vision and pragmatism, and
• Ask hard questions and answer them together.
Arts for Learning Virginia continues to honor her legacy by recognizing a Hampton Roads volunteer who reflects Minette’s passion and dedication to the arts—today and for generations to come.
To review the nomination guidelines, go directly to About Heart of the Arts.
To submit a nomination, go directly to the Heart of the Arts Award Nomination Form.
