Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/17/2012 -- Nominations are now being accepted for the 2012 North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state. Created by the General Assembly in 1961, and administered by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the award recognizes significant contributions of individuals in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service, and science.

Award nominations may be submitted by anyone and must include a completed nomination form and cover letter, as well as the nominee’s biography or resume. Letters of support and examples of the nominee’s work will also be accepted. All materials should be sent to the North Carolina Awards Committee, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, 4601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4601.

Nominations will be accepted by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources until April 15 for the 2012 awards.

The North Carolina Awards Committee will review the nominations and make its selections this summer. The recipients will be honored during ceremonies in Raleigh in the fall.

Past award recipients have included some of the country’s most distinguished artists, poets, writers, performers, journalists, scientists and public servants including Charlie Rose, Dean Smith, Andy Griffith, Gertrude Elion, Romare Bearden and Oliver Smithies.

Award recipients in 2011 were Branford Marsalis, Durham, and Vollis Simpson, Lucama, both for Fine Arts; Charles Hamner, Chapel Hill, and H. Martin Lancaster, Raleigh, both for Public Service; Trudy F.C. Mackay, Raleigh, for Science; and Ron Rash, Cullowhee, for Literature. (Video footage and images from the 2011 ceremony are available at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLED93691A8DB43F0C&feature=plcp and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncculture/sets/72157628141096648/).

The nomination form and guidelines are online, or contact Jennifer Fontes at (919) 807-7256 or by e-mail at jennifer.fontes@ncdcr.gov to receive forms by mail.

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. It annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit http://www.ncculture.com.