Honoring Excellence in Reducing Stigma Through the Arts

2015 Ambassador Awards

Honoring Excellence in Reducing Stigma through the Arts:

Promoting Wellness and Recovery

The New Jersey Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma is pleased to announce that we are now accepting submissions for our 2015 Ambassador Awards. The Ambassador Award embodies the Council's philosophy of Respect. Understanding. Change. The Council seeks to award those who champion our mission to raise mental health awareness, combat stigma, educate the public about mental illness, and engage our communities in the process of embracing mental health.

This year, the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma is recognizing literary and visual artists and arts organizations whose work best generates a positive image of people whose lives are affected by mental illness, reduces the ways in which society stigmatizes people with mental illnesses and successfully uses the arts to promote wellness and recovery.

2015 Ambassador Award selection will be based on the following criteria:

Should evoke empathy for people living with a mental illness

Should have had an impact on the public

Should present the topic of mental illness in an insightful, meaningful and sensitive way

Should advance the interests of the mental health community and people with mental illnesses

Should advance the efforts of organizations and individuals working to de-stigmatize mental illness

Should dispel myths surrounding mental illness

Should influence people with mental illnesses to seek help

Should encourage communities to provide help and understanding for people with a mental illness

Deadline for submission of nominations is March 4, 2015

Ambassador Award winners will be notified by March 20, 2015

The Ambassador Awards will be presented on: Thursday, April 30, 2015, 11:15 AM – 3:15 PM at the Crowne Plaza Monroe, Monroe Twp. NJ. All nominators are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. Award recipients are expected to attend the Award Ceremony to receive the award.

For questions or additional information contact

Lisa Powell at (732) 940-0991 or

2015 Ambassador Awards

Submission Form

Deadline – March 4, 2015

Name and Title of Nominator:

Address:

Email:

Telephone Day: Evening:

Name and Title (if Nominee is an individual):

Name of Organization and Contact Person (if Nomineeis an Organization):

Address:

Email:

Telephone Day: Evening:

I confirm the nominee has consented to be nominated and if selected will accept the 2015 New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma Ambassador Award at the Ambassador Award Ceremony on April 30, 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Monroe.

Signature of Nominator:

Narrative and Support Materials: Please attach a narrative, not to exceed 400-500 words, telling us why you have nominated individual or organization. Narrative must address how the nominee met Ambassador Award criteria listed on previous page. Nominee should meet as many criteria as possible. All submission forms must include URL links, DVDs or hard copy support material to illustrate the accomplishments of the nominee.

Individual Artist Nomination Requirements:

Must be a New Jersey resident at the time of nomination
Artist or applicant must provide a short paragraph (150 words) describing the inspiration in creating the submitted work and the impact it makes in reducing stigma
Artist or applicant must provide data (statistical or anecdotal) on the art’s public impact (number of people who saw/read the artwork, feedback from the public, prizes or recognition conferred, etc.)
Verification required that visual art submissions have been publicly displayed, through reviews or other materials
Verification that literary art submissions have been published, through reviews or other materials
Verification that performance art submissions have been produced for an audience, through reviews or other materials
Performance art submissions must be presented on film or video
Nominator must sign nomination form. Can be self-nomination or outside nomination
Nominee must consent to being nominated and accept award at the Ambassador Award Ceremony on April 30, 2015

Requirements for Groups (Collectives, Performance Companies, Schools, Community Organizations, etc.):

Must be domiciled in the State of New Jersey at the time of nomination
Group must provide a short paragraph (about150 words) describing the inspiration in creating or exhibiting the submitted work and the impact it makes in reducing stigma
Group must provide data (statistical or anecdotal) on the exhibited art’s public impact (number of people who saw/read the artwork, feedback from the public, prizes or recognition conferred, etc.)
Verification required that group publicly displayed visual artwork, through reviews or other materials
Verification that performance art was produced for an audience, through reviews or other materials
Performance art submissions must be presented on film or video
Nominator must sign nomination form. Can be self-nomination or outside nomination.
Nominee must consent to being nominated and accept award at the Ambassador Award Ceremony on April 30, 2015

CATEGORIES(Circle those thatapply)

Literary arts
Two-dimensional art
Sculpture
Photography
Video
Film
Performance art
Other

Submissions are due by March 4, 2015. Ambassador Award winners will be notified by March 20, 2015. Ambassador Awards will be presented on: Thursday, April 30, 2015, 11:15 AM – 3:15 PM at the Crowne Plaza Monroe, Monroe Twp. NJ. All nominators are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. Award recipients are expected to attend the Award Ceremony to receive the award.

Please send submissions to:

Ambassador Award Nominee Submission

NAMI NJ

1562 US Highway 130

North Brunswick, NJ 08902