Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) announced this week that Peter McCracken and Centrum, along with legendary songwriter/performer Danny O’Keefe are the recipients of its Best of the West Awards for 2016.

The Best of the West awards were established by FAR-West in 2005 to honor individuals who have maintained an enduring presence in the folk and acoustic music scene in the West, and who continue to inspire others by embodying folk values and traditions. This year’s awards will be presented in October at FAR-West’s annual conference in Bellevue, WA.

From their release:

Peter McCracken and the Centrum Foundation are the Best of the West Ambassador Honorees. The Centrum Foundation of Port Townsend, WA, is a unique arts education and advocacy program that promotes creative experiences that change lives through intergenerational workshops, bringing together aspiring and master artists to foster creativity, provide mentorship, and build community. Peter McCracken has long been an integral part of this inspiring organization, serving in many capacities over the years including Arts Program Manager and Traditional Arts Program Manager.

Peter has established and led the Foundation’s Country Blues, Voice Works, and Ukulele programs and has organized many other short, themed, focused workshops. In 1992 he started the Blues Workshop and Festival and in 2000 he led the initial curatorial project for Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Preservation and Stabilization. As a visionary and administrator, Peter McCracken has influenced and inspired thousands of musicians from the western states and around the world through his brilliant leadership.

Folk Alliance Region West (FAR-West), the western regional chapter ofFolk Alliance International, fosters and promotes traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk music, dance, storytelling and related performing arts in the western parts of North America.  This area includes Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northwest Territory, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Yukon Territory.

All of us at Centrum are incredibly proud of Peter (pictured at top with his daughter Miriam) and are inspired by his tireless commitment to excellence.