In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, BIMA is starting a new biennial artistic award program.

Titled the BRAVA Awards (BIMA Recognizes Achievement in the Visual Arts), the awards will recognize four contemporary artists, craftspeople or makers whose work demonstrates artistic merit and excellence, technical mastery, contribution to the arts landscape and professional accomplishment.

Each artist selected in one of four categories will receive an award of $15,000, and recognition through a short video, promotion and live award program. Each BRAVA awardee is selected through a unique competitive process from one of four independent Jury Committees, composed of working artists, educators, and art sector leaders and thinkers.

The four categories are: Native American & First Nations Artist Award; Artist’s Books Artists Award; Emerging Artist Award; and 2023 Special Choice Award: Children’s Book Illustrator Award.

The awards were inspired by the values and vision of museum founder Cynthia Sears. For details go to www.biartmuseum.org/the-brava-awards.

BIMA exhibits, interprets, preserves, collects, and promotes works of proven cultural value as well as new works by emerging artists and craftspeople. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free. It’s located just up from the ferry.