The 2024 Wearable Art Extravaganza Winners Announced

Photo of Michelle Morris, artist of “First Contact,” photographed by Ron Giles

JUNEAU, ALASKA (Sept. 23, 2024) — The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council (JAHC) is pleased to announce the winner of the Sybil Davis Award for the 2024 Wearable Art Extravaganza Neon Apocalypse.

Each audience member, cast, and crew were given tokens during the performance weekend to vote for the Sybil Davis Award, previously the People’s Choice Award, named after Sybil Davis, who began Juneau’s first Wearable Art Extravaganza in 2000, during her time as Executive Director of the JAHC. The 2024 Sybil Davis Award goes to “First Contact” by artist and model Michelle Morris. “First Contact” was inspired by what a celestial visitor might be fascinated by when seeing Earth for the first time through the variety of lenses we all share, and was created out of contact lens and solution packaging, old sail cloth, used army parachute, replaceable sandal straps, snow goggle lenses, and blinds. The runner-up for the Sybil Davis award goes to “Radiant Decay” by artist Jessica Hood, modeled by Jay Hood and created using old x-ray film and lighting.

In addition to the Sybil Davis Award, the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council has issued a new award for current artists and models to cast their vote. This new award is called the Wearable Art Insiders Award and was announced live at the performance on Saturday, September 21, 2024. The 2024 Wearable Art Insiders Award also goes to “First Contact” by artist and model Michelle Morris. The runner-up for this award goes to “Mod Kitty Glo Glo: Twist Off the Lid” by artist Gabrielle Aberle and modeled by Heather Coulehan, Don Larsen, and Jarvis Schultz.

Along with the announcement of the Sybil Davis Award and the Wearable Art Insiders Award, the JAHC collected donations from performance attendees to decide the 2026 Wearable Art Extravaganza’s theme. The three options were “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” “CAMP!” and “Gothy, Gothic, Goth.” The JAHC is excited to announce that the 2026 Wearable Art Extravaganza theme is CAMP!

The 2024 Wearable Art Extravaganza Neon Apocalypse was made possible by title sponsors Alaska Airlines and Local First Media Group, Inc., with additional support from KTOO, Herr Painting, and Home Depot. The event was directed by Margeaux Ljungberg with set design by Christine Kleinhenz, featuring lighting designer Mike Inwood, audio engineer Betsy Sims of Studio A Juneau, video and multimedia director Mikko Wilson of KTOO Public Media, stage manager Kathleen Harper, and artistic producer La Creatia Wilson. The biennial performances are produced by the Juneau Arts &

Humanities Council and is a major fundraiser for fine arts scholarships, individual artists grants, and operations at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center. The JAHC would like to thank our event sponsors, staff, and volunteers that come together to bring one of Juneau’s favorite performing art events to life.

About the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council

The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council (the Council) was incorporated in 1973. It is the formal arts agency for the Capital City of Juneau, Alaska and operates the Juneau Arts and Culture Center (JACC). This vibrant community center provides a location for concerts and events, a rotating gallery, and a lobby gift shop. The Council also operates Centennial Hall Convention Center under a management contract with the City and Borough of Juneau. The Council offers programming in performance, visual, literary, and arts education, grants, scholarships, and helpful resources for local artists.

The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council cultivates vibrant arts and cultural opportunities in our community and fosters a strong, prosperous, and inclusive environment where creativity and innovation thrive.