Star of the Disney Channel hit show Liv and Maddie, and global hit Disney Descendants, Dove Cameron got her start at Bainbridge Performing Arts at the age of eight. Armed with her headshot, resume of community theatre roles, and her dreams, she moved from Bainbridge Island to Los Angeles when she was just 14 years old.

Today she is a grounded, successful young woman with her own television show, four film credits, and numerous other TV and music credits. In addition to her recordings with Disney, Dove writes and performs in the music duo The Girl and the Dreamcatcher with fiancé Ryan McCartan. Dove is the second of Island writer Bonnie Wallace’s daughters to receive the Amy Award.

The Amy Award for Emerging Artists is given each year to a Bainbridge Island artist under the age of 35, whose work demonstrates a strong sense of quality, creativity, exploration, and dedication.

The annual cash award is funded by an endowment established by David and Caren Anderson in honor of their late daughter, and is administered by Arts & Humanities Bainbridge.

The Amy Award recipient is selected by Bainbridge Arts & Crafts and Bainbridge Performing Arts on alternating years, with this year’s winner being selected and announced by BPA.

“Amy’s involvement in the arts on Bainbridge was our inspiration for the award,” says Caren Anderson. Amy pursued a wide variety of artistic endeavors– ranging from theatre to dance, writing, and the visual arts, and the Amy Award was conceived as a meaningful way to memorialize her passions. Further, the Anderson’s envisioned the award as a means of nourishing emerging artists at the nexus of pursuit and discovery.

Aside from the financial benefit that helps recipients to continue to hone their craft, the Amy Award bestows vital community acknowledgement as well – demonstrating to recipients that although they may still be struggling, they have achieved recognized success in their field.

Now encompassing two sets of siblings, the tally of award winners includes Korum Bischoff (2001), Solia Hermes (2002), Jessica Tuffley (2003), Rain Ross (2004), Tracy Lang (2005), Vincent Palazzolo-Packard (2006), Gregory Glynn (2007), Dove’s sister – Claire Hosterman (2008), Jonathan Hallet (2009), Wesley Corbett (2010), Annie Huntley (2011), Jherek Bischoff (2012), Raquel Stanek (2013) and Liz Ellis (2014).

(News release courtesy of Sally Jo Martine/Bainbridge Performing Arts)