A small crowd braved an early evening storm to attend the Quad-City Presenters' 3rd annual Arts Advocacy Awards on Friday.

As the lights flickered at the Village Theater in Davenport, Presenters President Doug Tschopp welcomed the group by acknowledging the volunteers that keep non-profit arts organizations thriving.

"So many times, people do so much work that is not recognized in the arts," he said. "It's really hard to survive without all the volunteers."

Punctuated by claps of thunder, Tom Getz, winner of last year's Don Wooten Award for Dedication to the Arts, gave a keynote address focused on fiscal responsibility.

"Every group needs a fundraising team," Getz said, and he urged those teams be innovative in creating fundraising events unique to each organization.

Drawing on his own experience on non-profit boards and fundraising committees, Getz told the arts leaders in the crowd to keep their base happy and actively recruit new membership.

But his strongest message was to stay solvent.

"Please do not take on debt," he said. "And if you have a successful year, put something in reserve. Be a survivor."

Longtime arts supporter, artist and educator Bill Hannan was recognized as this year's Wooten Award recipient. Hannan taught art, design and multimedia classes at Black Hawk College in Moline from 1964 to 1998. He has designed posters for Genesius Guild for 52 years, as well as taking on other behind-the-scene and onstage roles with the theater troupe. His involvement extends to many Presenters members, including WVIK, WQPT, MidCoast Fine Arts, Left Bank Art League, Putnam Museum and CommUniversity.

Hannan said he has lived by the rule, "If it has to do with the arts, then you should be involved with it."

He said although he considers himself primarily a visual artist and book maker, he challenges himself to get involved with music, theater, dance and other art forms.

Kristin Meyer was recognized as Volunteer of the Year, nominated for her work with Davenport Junior Theatre. In his nomination, Daniel D.P. Sheridan, artistic director of Junior Theatre, wrote that Meyer and her children, ages 22, 16 and 14, devote more than 80 hours a month to the organization, even though Meyer is employed full-time. In her acceptance speech, Meyer noted that she has been involved with Junior Theater since she was 9 years old.

Dr. Amir Arbisser and Dr. Lisa Brothers-Arbisser received the Individual Donor Award. They were nominated by Tom Swanson, general manager of the River Music Experience, for contributions to the RME. Tschopp said the nomination resonated with several of the Presenters 50 member organizations that have received support from the Arbissers.

The Corporate Award was given to the Quad-Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau for its support and understanding of "how the arts fit into our community," Tschopp said. Charlotte Morrison, vice president of marketing and communications, accepted the award on behalf of the CVB. She spoke about the continuing initiative to create a cultural resource center within the CVB and a Web portal devoted to promoting the arts in the Quad-Cities to tourists and residents alike.

Quad-City Presenters is an association representing Quad-City arts and cultural organizations. Promotion of the arts and specifically the Quad-Cities as an arts destination is the central focus of the group. The Wooten Award is named for Quad-City Presenters founder and longtime president Don Wooten, who formed the group as a "congress of the arts" in the mid-1980s.

For more information on the Quad-City Presenters and to view past recipients of the Arts Advocacy Awards, visit www.qcpresenters.org.