Alexander Rutsch Award

Alexander Rutsch was an artist who actively supported the Pelham Art Center for more than 25 years. Founded in 1971, Pelham Art Center is a multi-arts center that provides a place and opportunity for area residents to see, study, and experience the arts in a community setting. After his death, friends and supporters of Alexander Rutsch and his family established a generous and significant fund. The fund supports a bi-annual open, juried competition in a range of mediums. The award is for painting. A $5,000 cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Pelham Art Center are awarded to the winner. This program continues Rutsch's belief that art transcends all of our humanity. Rutsch saw art as "the stone in the water sending ripples throughout the universe." His extraordinary work, rich in the celebration of life and our shared human experiences, is included in many public and private collections throughout the US and Europe.