news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Steve Sumerford’s contributions to the local arts scene extend well beyond the doors of the Greensboro Public Library, where he serves as assistant director.

He directs the library’s literary festivals, “Poetry GSO: Building Community Through Poetry,” and the biennial city read, “One City, One Book.”

As a board member of the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, he has worked to expand its grants this year to diverse arts groups and artists.

Those efforts earned Sumerford the council’s annual Vanguard Society award at a celebration Tuesday night at Revolution Mill Studios.

“I can think of no one who does more to bring people together through the arts,” council President and CEO Jeanie Duncan said.

Sumerford, who received a standing ovation from the crowd of 120, said he was humbled by the award.

This year’s changes to the council’s grant process have been a challenge, he said. The council had to make difficult choices on who should receive grants and how much. It tried to strike a balance between new, emerging groups and longtime recipients.

Yet, he added, “We actually created communitywide conversation about the arts.”

Sumerford is now helping to create advisory groups that will lead the council’s efforts to increase communications with the city’s African American and Latino/Hispanic communities and young adults.

“I think we have done a wonderful job of trying to address the needs of the arts community the best that we can, with the resources that we have,” Sumerford said.

The celebration Tuesday featured performances from three of the organizations that received council grants this year: the E. Gwyn Dancers of N.C. A&T, Touring Theatre of North Carolina and the Music Academy of North Carolina.

The crowd also gave a standing ovation to Duncan. She has led the council for six years and will step down Nov. 27.

Contact Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane at 373-5204 or dawn.kane@news-record.com