(© Julia Wesely)

Conductor Franz Welser-Möst has been awarded a Cleveland Arts Prize.

The Cleveland Orchestra music director was one of several honorees who will be celebrated on Oct. 13, 2021 at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Welser-Möst, winner of the Special Citation presented by Cleveland Arts Prize Trustees, will be entering his 20th season as the music director of The Cleveland Orchestra and will remain at the helm of the organization through 2027, making him the longest-service music leader in the organization’s history.

Another honoree is Clara Rankin, who was bestowed with The Barbara S. Robinson Prize. Rankin  is a champion of the arts in the Cleveland community and has been recognized for her philanthropy as well as her involvement in the creation of Hopewell, a nonprofit residential therapeutic farm community that provided nature-based care for adults reaching for mental well-being. She is also a longtime supporter of The Cleveland Orchestra and has been a Cleveland Orchestra Board Trustee for 25 years.

The Cleveland Arts Prizes celebrate artists across a wide range of disciplines.