Artist Recognition Award

ABSFest’s Artist Recognition Award is given annually to a member of the community outstanding for their dedication to the Arts. Sometimes that commitment takes the form of genre-defining polished performance, as in the case of the historic Rebelles and Holiday Childress of the Goodies. Sometimes the award goes to the lesser-known heroes of arts administration, stage tech, and the preservation of our sub-cultural histories. All of our recipients labor mightily to keep these arts alive, rich in texture, weirdness, and community spirit!

In 2011, the award was re-named the Phil Slomski Artist Recognition Award in honor of the early passing of Phil Slomski of the comedy duo the Slomski Brothers, dear to fans of music and comedy up and down the East Coast.
In honor of Phil, we have one distinctive award, and each generation of recipient adds to it, augmenting it with their own special flair, to be passed on to the next. Like a big, gaudy, be-loved and be-glittered Olympic Torch!