The Missouri Arts Council presented awards in the Capitol Rotunda as it does every year, but this year it presented an award that hit a little closer to home.

This year, the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition received the Missouri Arts Council’s award for arts organization. This was one of only six awards given Feb. 7.

Vivian León, director of the MSIPC, said she was very happy to accept the award and hopes it will bring a little more attention to Southern.

“I think we’re not on everybody’s radar yet because of where we are. We’re not in the center of what goes on in the arts,” León said. “So we have to shout just a little bit harder and louder for them to pay attention to the things we do. But I think this will bring a lot of people’s attention to southwest Missouri.”

She said currently the MSIPC is recognized all over the world but it is not recognized as much in Missouri as she would like it to be.

“When I go to China or Russia, or even just the east and west coasts, they call it the Missouri competition,” León said. “So we represent the state on a national level and on an international level.

“But inside our living area I’m not so sure anyone knows about it.”

But she is sure this award will help recognition across the board. However, recognition is not the only reason she and the other award winners are happy about being honored.

“The thing about receiving awards is not the prestige, it’s looking back and reflecting on what we’ve done,” said David V. Francis, director of the Francis Family Foundation of Kansas City, which received the Philanthropy Award from the MAC.

León also reflected on the significance of the MSIPC.

“First of all it represents our international mission big time,” Léon said. “Our nature is international of course, but in the arts we bring so much to the community.

“Missouri Southern and the community work together a lot to make this happen.”

León is also proud of the opportunities the competition gives to its participants.The MSIPC sends its winner to Carnegie Hall in New York City for a recital. She said one of the most exciting parts about that trip is looking up and seeing “Missouri Southern presents” on the marquee of Carnegie Hall. And even more exciting to her is that last October, Tatiana Tessman, last year’s winner, sold out the hall for her performance.

Tessman will also be back to Southern in April for a one-week residency where she will play for several local schools and talk about her home country of Russia. She will also be playing next year’s MAC awards in Jefferson City.