Texas Cultural Trust Honors Houston Ballet with 2013 Texas Medal of the Arts in the Field of Dance

Houston Ballet has been awarded the 2013 Texas Medal of the Arts in the field of dance. The 2013 honorees were announced at a press conference held on Tuesday at Houston Ballet's Center for Dance.

The Texas Medal for the Arts is the signature project of the Texas Cultural Trust. It spotlights and celebrates the creative excellence, exemplary talents, and outstanding contributions by Texans in selected categories, ultimately featuring the best in Texas. The Awards honor citizens who have achieved greatness through their creative talents as well as those whose philanthropic generosity has opened doors for to opportunity for Texans of all ages. The Texas Medal of the Arts accents and exposes the power of the arts to our children's education, to our State's economy, and to our proud and special Texas culture.

Other honorees for the 2013 award include: Big Thought (Arts Education); Gene and Charlotte Jones (Individual Arts Patron); James Surls (Visual Art); Kimbell Art Foundation (Foundation Arts Patron); Texas Monthly (Corporate Arts Patron) and Tuna Guys (Theatre).

Executive director of Houston Ballet James Nelson comments, "Houston Ballet is honored to be awarded the Texas Medal of Arts in the field of dance. We are thrilled to join the ranks of such legendary Texas artists such as ZZ Top, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Wilson, Walter Cronkite, Lyle Lovett, Clint Black, and Tommy Tune who have received The Texas Medal of the Arts in the past."

Houston Ballet and the other honorees will be celebrated at a gala event in Austin, Texas on Monday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 5 co-chaired by Kelli Blanton and Marita Fairbanks. Tickets for the Awards Show and Starlight After Party are $75. For more information visit www.txculturaltrust.org/tmaa.