Wheeler, Prost to receive awards from Grand Center

In a item in today's Post-Dispatch, gossip columnist Deb Peterson revealed that singer Mae Wheeler will be one of the recipients of a "Visionary Award" from Grand Center Inc. in a ceremony to be held in November. The awards, now in their fifth year, recognize women for their outstanding contributions to St. Louis' arts and cultural community. Wheeler will be getting a Lifetime Acheivement Award, and StLJN congratulates "Lady Jazz" on a well-deserved honor.

Also scheduled to be honored as Outstanding Arts Professional is Cynthia Prost, executive director of Cultural Festivals, Inc, the organization that produces the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival, the St. Louis Art Fair, and the Big Read literary festival.

Oddly, Peterson's item mentions the Art Fair and the Big Read, but not the Jazz Festival. Was this an intentional omission by Prost or Peterson? Is Grand Center expressly excluding the Jazz Festival from the list of accomplishments making Prost eligible for the award? Or did one or more of the above just sort of forget that the Jazz Festival exists, or feel that it was too insignificant to mention? Whatever the reason, it certainly doesn't reflect well on the importance or the public profile of the event.