2016 Arts Hall of Famers Announced

The Austin Critics Table has named the 15th group of individuals to be inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame, honoring current leaders of Ballet Austin and the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

As with the previous inductees, the three Austinites being honored this year have made significant contributions to the community over many years – some as artists, some as educators, some as patrons, some as administrators, some as a combination of these, but all as friends of and advocates for the arts. The 2016 class of inductees includes:

• Peter Bay (Austin Symphony Orchestra) – artistic director, conductor

• Stephen Mills (Ballet Austin) – artistic director, choreographer, dancer

• Cookie Ruiz (Ballet Austin) – administrator, civic leader, arts advocate

The new Hall of Famers will be recognized at the 2015-16 Austin Critics Table Awards ceremony, to be held on Monday, May 23, 7pm, at Cap City Comedy Club, 8120 Research. The ceremony is free, and the public is welcome.

The Critics Table – an informal affiliation of writers who cover culture for the Austin American-Statesman and Austin Chronicle – will release the nominations for the most outstanding achievements in dance, classical music, visual arts, and theatre in the past year on Monday, May 9. The full list will be available here.