The City of Ojai Arts Commission is proud to announce the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award

in the Arts will be awarded to Jaye Hersh on July 10 by the Ojai City Council. Hersh is widely

known in the community for her work with the Ojai Shakespeare Festival, Nordhoff High

School’s theatre and choral productions, Ojai Performing Arts Theatre, the Ojai Art Center

Theatre, and the Ojai Music Festival. She was also voted a 2003- 2004 Ojai Living Treasure by

the Ojai Rotary.

“In choosing Jaye for the award we focused on her strong commitment to the arts in Ojai,” said

Michael Addison, Ojai Arts Commissioner and the Lifetime Achievement Award Committee

Chair. “The Award is given in recognition of her proven continuous artistic excellence,

demonstrated community involvement within the Ojai Valley, and established recognition in her

field. She brings it all to the table.”

Besides her involvement as a vocal director in the above Ojai events and institutions, Hersh

herself is an accomplished actress and vocal performer. Local audiences may have seen her in

roles as diverse as the classic Shakespearean role Ophelia or as Broadway’s famous character

Mame. As a founder of the Ojai Madrigali she often performs annually strolling through the

arcade during the holiday season decked in period costume and giving impromptu concerts to the

delight of shoppers and merchants.

According to the Ojai Rotary website, “Jaye Hersh believes that everyone has a voice and

nobody should be ashamed to use it. She has made a mission to help people young and old tap

into something she thinks is becoming lost in our culture: a connection to music on a personal

level.”

Please join us for the Tuesday evening award at the July 10th meeting of the Ojai City Council,

7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, 401 S. Ventura Street.