Edgar Miller Legacy
- Community Awards -
Edgar Miller Legacy award nomination committee members, and 2019 Champion Award recipients: Terra Foundation for American Art.
About Our Community Awards
Edgar Miller Legacy (EML) is proud to nominate and award members of our community for their work in driving forward our mission. Our two awards are:
Edgar Miller Legacy Champion Award
Typically presented during the EML annual "Fall Smash" benefit event, the Champion Award recognizes an organization or individual who has championed and supported the work of Edgar Miller Legacy in some significant way — furthering the organization's mission: to advance the appreciation of the life, philosophy and work of artist and master craftsman Edgar Miller.
Recipients are nominated by the EML Board of Directors, and selected by an appointed committee - based on the merits of their past and ongoing support of EML in the areas of institutional advancement, education and outreach, programming, preservation and/or promotional efforts. The selection committee, appointed by the Board Chair, may include members of the Board, Fall Smash host committee and/or staff — and will also always include the previous year's Awardee. In most cases, recipients will be expected to attend the Fall Smash event to accept this award.
Edgar Miller Creative Spirit Award
A core tenet of EML is to preserve Edgar Miller’s creative spirit and inspire artists who come to know and appreciate his work. The EML Creative Spirit Award, typically presented at the organization's "Fall Smash" benefit event, annually recognizes an individual creative or craftsperson who embodies Miller’s philosophy of lifelong learning, his work ethic and/or his versatility as an artist.
Recipients are nominated by the EML Board of Directors, and selected by an appointed committee. Recipients may be artists or makers working in any discipline (or multiple disciplines) who may or may not be familiar with Edgar Miller. The selection committee, appointed by the Board Chair, may include members of the Board, Fall Smash host committee and/or staff — and will also always include the previous year's Awardee. Recipients will, in most cases, be expected to attend the Fall Smash event to accept this award.
Previous Award Recipients
Edgar Miller Legacy Champion Award
Terra Foundation
2019
Terra Foundation for American Art fosters the exploration, understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts beginning with the presentation and growth of its own art collection in Chicago. Their involvement with EML included crucial programmatic support during Art Design Chicago 2018.
Lisa Stone
2020
Lisa Stone was the founding lead curator of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Roger Brown Study Collection, establishing a model house museum and archive that it remains as today. Lisa Stone served as an indispensable advisory resource to the founding Board of Directors of EML.
Lisa Yun Lee
2021
Lisa Yun Lee is director of the National Public Housing Museum. Her dedication to telling the stories of marginalized communities and their role in establishing built environments within Chicago and beyond serves as an inspiration to the Edgar Miller community.
Edgar Miller Creative Spirit Award
Lakshmi Ramgopal
2020
Lakshmi Ramgopal is a historian of the Roman Empire and multidisciplinary artist. She holds a PhD in Classics from the University of Chicago and is Assistant Professor of History at Columbia University. Trained in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam, she creates music, art installations, and performances that share real and imagined personal histories in lush, immersive landscapes. Ramgopal was an EML Artist-in-Residence during its 2020 season, and used the inspiring built environments designed by Edgar Miller to create a uniquely framed performance piece along with a quartet of fellow women musicians.
Lee Bey
2021
Lee Bey is a photographer, lecturer, writer, and consultant most well known for his recent publication Southern Exposure: The Overlooked Architecture of Chicago’s South Side. His work has been indispensable at shining light on the under-appreciated creators of built environments across the city, helping to highlight the creative spirit in others while also producing well-researched stories about Chicago’s urban history. His understanding of 20th century urban development has helped our own understanding of art, architecture, and design work throughout the Edgar Miller era.