Black Caucus groups honor Tyler Perry

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Filmmaker Tyler Perry and painter Sam Gilliam were honored in Washington Wednesday at an event at which organizers said 20 students received arts scholarships.

The U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses honored Perry and Gilliam at the 13th annual Celebration of Leadership in the Fine Arts at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

The Celebration of Leadership program helped kick off the Spouses' activities as part of the CBCF's 39th annual legislative conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. More than 18,000 people are expected to attend the four-day conference.

At least 300 performing and visual arts students applied for the national scholarship program -- a 100 percent increase from last year, organizers said.

"The increase in scholarship applications indicates the importance of the arts programs in schools," Simone-Marie Meeks, CBC Spouse chair, said in a statement. "The Spouses recognize that students should have a full realm of academic challenges as well as opportunities to explore the fine arts."