Mayor's Award for the Arts Winners Honored Feb 13, Tickets $20

Margherita Andreotti and Shorefront have won the 2008 Mayor's Award for the Arts. Both will be honored at the State of the City Luncheon to be held Friday, February 13, from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hotel Orrington, 1710 Orrington Ave., in the Grand Ballroom.

Annually, the Mayor's Award is given to one Evanston artist and one Evanston arts organization for their contributions to the community through excellence in the arts. Recipients are selected from nominations from the public at large.A former member of the Public Art Committee, Ms. Andreotti is being honored for her devoted efforts to document and bring attention to the status of historic art in Evanston schools. She completed a lengthy report of public art in school buildings within Districts 65 and 202. Some of the objects date back to the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s. It is hoped the report will be a springboard for efforts to preserve and protect this art legacy.

Spearheaded by Morris E. (Dino) Robinson, Jr., Shorefront is a historical society whose goal is to provide surrounding communities with information, publications and exhibits of African American history. Shorefront preserves and collects artifacts and stores them so that they can be exhibited. It has presented traveling exhibits throughout the North Shore, including at Family Focus and the Civic Center.

The State of the City Luncheon is sponsored each year by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. For ticket information, call 847-328-1500.