A Quick Look at the Platinum PIAs Journey

Examining the First Ever Platinum PIAs Awards

When the Platinum PIAs Community Awards Show for ArtisticPreneurs Premiered in 2010 it was by Accident and Not a Plan
When the Platinum PIAs Community Awards Show for ArtisticPreneurs Premiered in 2010 it was by Accident and Not a Plan

As many as you know the Platinum PIAs Community Awards Show for ArtisticPreneurs has been in existence since 2010. But what you may not know is how it started. The story of the Platinum PIAs begins not as a part of a plan but instead as a second thought. You see we had planned to premiere a video we were working on at the time and booked Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Screening Room to do so. But then on a whim we decided we didn’t want to screen the video after all, so we were stuck with a pre-paid screening room that no longer had a use. So after a discussion on what could we possibly use the theater for we chose to start an awards show. But not any awards show, one for ArtisticPreneurs, recognizing those who were making a difference in their communities and around the world. Coincidentally we were involved with a community parade project and some of the marchers and businesses involved became PIAs nominees.

The 2018 Platinum PIAs Awards Goes Online

Most the annual PIAs ceremonies over the course of our journey have been live and in person. But for Platinum PIAs #9 in 2018 we came up with the idea to switch it up. To no longer have a small panel of judges but to make everyone who was on the ArtisticPreneur Email Newsletter list empowered with picking the winners. On April 14th, 2018, we sent out an email linking to nominee videos for our online audience to view and then name the winners. Soon we had winners in four catetories.

Entertainment Entrepreneurship Lends a Hand

We owe a debt of gratitude to the Entertainment Entrepreneurship online community. They have helped us to see through the lens of there being “no business that’s not in show business.” Entertainment Entrepreneurship is very closely aligned with being an ArtisticPreneur because both are based in creativity and innovation.

Manhattan Kids Guide and the PIAs

The Platinum PIAs Awards is a family friendly awards show and members of our live audiences in the past have consisted of both kids and parents. We’ve also had kid performers two years in a row lead by Miss Tina and her Broadway Performing Arts Center troupe.

Speaking of young people, the annual Platinum PIAs Community Awards Show for ArtisticPreneur has been working very closely since 2010 with Manhattan Kids Guide when searching for nominees each year. The PIAs look for ArtisticPreneurs of all different kinds (including business innovators, musicians, writers and filmmakers etc.) of the Upper Manhattan Community and around the globe.

Specific nominees that MKG brings to the table are ArtisticPreneurs who are somehow helping kids in areas such as education. It also includes teens who participate in MKG and DigiComArts workshops that occur at the New York Public Library.

The New York Public Library and the Platinum PIAs

Teen Central at Grand Central Library, then having on staff librarian Rodger Taylor, partnered with John Yianni Stamas and Lights, Camera, Read to create Digital Communication Arts or DigiComArts projects for teens and young adults. These projects were aimed at bettering and bringing awareness to the New York City community and beyond. NYC youth participated in this year long program. The workshop lead to three Platinum PIA winners who also injected themselves into the life and culture at Teen Central.

In Conclusion

First off the Platinum PIAs would like to thank all those who make these awards possible which includes both collaborators and sponsors. Also to all those of you who have won a Crystal Triangle of Artistic Expression, your good work as ArtisticPreneurs is an inspiration to us all.