Arts United announced today the 2025 Mayor’s Arts Award and Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. Recipients of the Mayor’s Arts Award are individuals, organizations, and projects that have greatly impacted arts and culture in the city of Fort Wayne; recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award are individuals or organizations who have made significant cultural achievements over the course of an entire career.

 

This year’s recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Award is Em Organ.

Em Organ is the high school intern for the Fort Wayne Youtheatre this season, showcasing her immense love for performing and working with others, especially kids. Now a high school senior, she participated with the Fort Wayne Youtheatre for years in shows, camps, and classes and has even been an assistant teacher for Saturday classes. 


As a volunteer high school intern, Em spends 3-5 afternoons per week working tirelessly for the theatre on everything from administrative tasks, social media design, set and prop construction, costume work, and more. When that work is over, she can generally be found staying even longer most weekdays volunteering as a performer and a stage manager. As a stage manager, she takes the reins of keeping each production, its participants, its schedule, and its technical elements on track. Em also volunteers as a teaching assistant during Saturday Academy classes and spent half her summer vacation as a teaching assistant for summer classes.

 

“I’m honored that I was able to choose Em for this award. This is my first year as Mayor for the Mayor’s Arts Award, and I congratulate Em and wish her the very best as she has a bright future ahead of her,” said Mayor Sharon Tucker. “Our attention to the importance of arts and culture is vital to the identity of our great city. It says a lot about who we are and where we’re going as a community. Arts United is a tremendous partner and I value and appreciate the positive difference that the organization makes each day.”

 

The recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards this year are Alan Grinsfelder and Eleanor Marine.

 

Alan Grinsfelder is a distinguished architect and artist, with a career that spans several decades and that significantly impacted the cityscape of Fort Wayne. Founded in 1965, his architectural firm Grinsfelder Associates Architect played a crucial role in shaping the public spaces of Fort Wayne such as Foellinger Outdoor Theatre, Headwaters Park, and Fort Wayne Urban League Headquarters. Alan transitioned to fine arts during his retirement, most recently exhibiting “A Creative Life: The Architecture and Art of Alan Grinsfelder,” at Congregation Achduth Vesholom which celebrated his current paintings and provided a historical overview of his architectural drawings and designs.

 


Alan’s artwork has been featured in various local art venues, including First Presbyterian Gallery

Artlink, Henry’s Restaurant, and Old Crown Coffee House. A testament to his dedication to learning, Alan completed his second Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Indiana University Fort Wayne in 2020. At age 89, he continues to pursue education, making him the oldest student at Purdue Fort Wayne and Artlink. His passion for knowledge and art serves as an inspiration to many.

 

Eleanor Marine has served as a volunteer, Board Leader, steadfast supporter, and de facto Development staff member, shaping the Philharmonic into a vibrant cultural organization that touches the lives of 100,000 people across Northeast Indiana annually. Over the last 50 years, Eleanor fiercely advocated for the Philharmonic, as she devoted countless hours of her personal and professional life to ensuring its success and vitality. 

 

Her efforts in fundraising, strategic leadership, and community stewardship have safeguarded the Philharmonic’s future, culminating in the creation of the Philharmonic’s endowment. This year, the Philharmonic had the distinct privilege of honoring Eleanor with the prestigious Helene Foellinger Award, an accolade bestowed upon only four previous recipients. 

 

All three recipients will be honored at the 2025 Arts United Awards, presented by SYM Financial Advisors. The ceremony will occur on March 19, 2025. To learn more about the 2025 Arts United Awards and view a full list of nominees for other categories, visit artsunited.org/advocacy/awards.