2024 Arts Leadership Award Recipients to Be Honored

The Alameda County Arts Commission announced its 2024 Arts Leadership Award recipients: Judy Anglin, Dmitry Grudsky, Paul Keim, Lani Llamido, Graham Lustig and Lorrie Murray. The six arts leaders are being recognized for their achievements and contributions impacting the arts community and residents of Alameda County.

The award recipients will be honored by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors with commendations presented in conjunction with the County’s celebration of October as National Arts and Humanities Month. The commendations will be presented during the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, October 1, at approximately 11 a.m., at 1221 Oak Street, 5th Floor, in Oakland. Members of the public may participate in-person or remotely on Zoom. teleconferencing. For information about the meeting, please visit the Alameda County Board of Supervisors website.

Each year the appointed members of the Alameda County Arts Commission review nominations submitted by the public for the Alameda County Arts Leadership Award program and then select the award recipients. The goal is to honor an arts leader in each of the five districts of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

During the Arts Commission’s selection process this year, there was a tie-vote. This resulted in awarding two individuals in County District Two. In total, six individuals are receiving the 2024 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award. The Alameda County Arts Commission acknowledges all of the individuals who were nominated for this award program. Additionally, the Arts Commission thanks the Alameda County community members who submitted the nominations.

Judy Anglin, District 1

A resident of Fremont, Judy Anglin is a long-time Board Member and dedicated Volunteer of the Olive Hyde Art Guild , which was founded in 1972. She has been a cornerstone of the guild, championing its mission to support the City of Fremont’s Olive Hyde Art Gallery and promoting the visual arts within schools and throughout the Fremont community. For over 40 years, she has been an active volunteer and has held numerous positions on the Board of Directors, including three years as Board President. Currently, she leads a talented team in orchestrating the Guild’s annual holiday fundraiser which is now in its 40th year.

Anglin also plays a vital role in fundraising by gaining sponsors, grant support, and donations. She collaborates on the annual Serra Center Art Workshop for developmentally disabled adults and leads the Guild’s bi-annual Members Juried Show.

A talented watercolor artist herself, she takes particular pride in the Guild’s efforts to provide art supplies, awards, and books to underserved children, youth, and seniors, enriching their lives through the power of art. Her unwavering commitment ensures the successful continuation of this important organization and the appreciation for the visual arts.

Dmitry Grudsky, District 2

A resident of Newark, Dmitry Grudsky is a visual artist, art instructor, and community volunteer who works with many local groups and arts organizations in Alameda County. He specializes in watercolor painting and mosaic art, and has created an extensive number of mosaic tile public artworks for public schools, organizations and community spaces in Hayward, Fremont, Livermore, Berkeley, and other cities.

In addition to his public art projects, Grudsky also conducts classes, workshops, and demonstrations at many arts and education organizations throughout this region. He exhibits his paintings locally, nationally, and internationally. As the result of his extensive career, he has received signature member status at several prestigious art associations, including the Society of West Coast Artists, Northwest Watercolor Society, and California Watercolor Society.

A resident of the Bay Area for over 30 years, Grudsky’s local landscapes remind him of his native Uzbekistan. He is inspired by discovering new places, experiencing and observing nature, and meeting new people. He continues to develop new ways to share his art and to encourage others to make art with the goal of positive change in our community.

Lani Llamido, District 2

Hayward resident Lani Llamido serves as a Board Member of the Hayward Arts Council, an Advocate for the Hayward Literacy Plus Council, and Lead Coordinator for the Asian and Pacific Islander Community Initiative of the Hayward Unified School District (HUSD). Her work with the Hayward Arts Council includes the founding and coordination of the organization’s international online exhibition program.

Llamido also volunteers at exhibitions and events and conducts fundraising initiatives with a focus on supporting family art classes and activities. Her decade-long commitment to the Hayward Literacy Plus Council has been instrumental in creating impactful newsletters and launching the organization’s website in 2023. She was instrumental in the creation of HUSD’s Asian Pacific Islander Community Initiative and the Filipino-American Students Coalition. Her goal is to support and serve Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students and families.

As a certified Human Rights Consultant, Llamido advocates for underserved immigrant communities, guiding them through the complex justice system and ensuring access to immigration and special education services. Empowering change through literacy, arts, and education, she is a dedicated and passionate community leader and organizer.

Lorrie Murray, District 3

Lorrie Murray is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bay Area Music Project (BAMP) in Alameda, where she is a resident. Founded in 2014, BAMP is a nonprofit organization focused on enriching the lives of children and families in under-resourced communities through accessible and transformative music education. The organization began as a small choir class at a single site and developed into a full orchestra, vocal, and electronic music program providing programs across five sites and serving over 250 children each year.

Before founding BAMP, Murray was a key member of the design team at Maya Lin School . The Alameda elementary school is recognized for its innovative arts-integrated curriculum, emphasizing the creative process as central to learning.

Murray’s professional journey includes 25 years in the music industry, where she excelled as a concert promoter, tour manager, and stage performer. Her deep involvement in the Bay Area music scene revealed to her the profound impact of music and art in uniting and uplifting communities. She is a dedicated advocate for arts education, passionately committed to using music as a catalyst for social change.

Paul Keim, District 4

Paul Keim is the Founder and Director of Smalltown Society in Castro Valley, where he is a resident. As a dedicated songwriter and community organizer, he founded Smalltown Society. In this role, he has curated more than 500 events that provide vital opportunities for local artists, musicians, and filmmakers to connect and thrive.

With a passion for justice and social change, he has cultivated a vibrant arts community focused on equity, inclusion, and inspiration. Smalltown Society is a hub for creativity and community, offering opportunities for artistic expression, collaboration, and social engagement. Under Keim’s leadership, Smalltown has empowered individuals from diverse backgrounds, revitalized essential community spaces like Castro Valley’s Chabot Theater, led civic initiatives that connect artistic expression with social change, and secured substantial funding to sustain these efforts.

Keim also has worked in collaboration with the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, Castro Valley High School, League of Women Voters, and others to bring arts engagement activities to the community. His commitment has made Smalltown Society a cornerstone of social and artistic life in Alameda County’s unincorporated area.

Graham Lustig, District 5

Graham Lustig is the Artistic Director of the Oakland Ballet Company (OBC) which was founded in 1965. Lustig, who lives in Oakland, has led the organization since 2010 and believes it is essential that the diversity of Oakland and Alameda County is reflected in all of its activities.

Lustig has created groundbreaking programs for the OBC including Dancing Moons Festival, America’s first AAPI artist showcase; Luna Mexicana, a Dia de los Muertos celebration; and Rainbow Dances, an LGBTQ showcase. These programs celebrate diversity and challenge concepts of how a ballet-based dance organization can more authentically serve its community.

Lustig has choreographed over 90 original ballets and operas, and has commissioned over 100 new dance works in a series of wide-ranging collaborations. He has coached and inspired a generation of new dance artists. Through his robust enrichment programs, young students have assured access to the arts at no cost.

A passionate arts advocate, Lustig is a founding member of the Artists Committee for Americans for the Arts and has served as panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts Dance and Policy Panel. Throughout his career, he has redefined ballet as a dynamic and inclusive art form.

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