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Gov. Kelly and Kansas City Chiefs Announce Agreement On Plans for State-of-the-Art Domed Stadium in Kansas December 22, 2025 Governor Kelly Celebrates Grand Opening of Panasonic EV Battery Manufacturing Facility in De Soto July 14, 2025 Governor Kelly Announces Grand Opening of Heartland Coca-Cola Olathe Production Campus June 10, 2025 Merck Animal Health Investing $895M in De Soto Plant Expansion May 08, 2025 Ver todos

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Gamechangers & Champions Event to Feature Startup Pitch Competition, Networking The Kansas Department of Commerce, in partnership with NXTUS, Inc. and KU Innovation Park, announced today it will host Gamechangers & Champions 2026: Bracket Bash for Innovators and Angels in March. Commerce Launches Two New Kansas Community Empowerment Grants Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the launch of two new grant opportunities through the Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) program. Upper Floor Housing Coming to Two Kansas Main Street Communities Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced two Kansas Main Street communities have been awarded funding through the Residential Opportunities On Main Street (ROOMS) program. Governor Kelly Celebrates Joe Walsh, Other Kansas Artists at Governor’s Arts Awards Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the Kansas Department of Commerce announced the recipients of the 2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards at its annual ceremony Monday, February 2, at the Docking State Office Building in Topeka. Ver todos

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Inicio / Programas y servicios / Governor’s Arts Awards / 2026 Governor’s Arts Award Recipients

2026 Governor’s Arts Awards Recipients

Awarded February 2, 2026, at the

Docking Building in Topeka

Go to the main Governor’s Arts Awards page

THE GOVERNOR’S AWARD

Joe Walsh

Born in Wichita in 1947, Joe Walsh has long stood among America’s most distinctive and influential rock musicians, celebrated for his guitar mastery, sharp wit, and genre‑spanning creativity. Walsh was exposed to music at a young age, in part by his mother, who was a pianist. He played guitar in bands in high school and then at Kent State University. His breakthrough came with the James Gang, whose hits like Funk #49 y Walk Away showcased his inventive guitar work and helped define early album‑oriented rock. 

After leaving the James Gang at the height of their success, Walsh formed Barnstorm and recorded influential albums including The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, which produced Rocky Mountain Way, a defining anthem of 1970s rock. 

In 1975, Walsh was recruited by the Eagles, bringing a harder‑edged sound that helped propel the band to new heights. His contributions to the iconic Hotel California included guitar solos widely considered to be among the best recorded and cemented his place in rock history. The album sold more than 6 million copies in its first year and has since been certified 26-times platinum. Walsh has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: first with the Eagles in 1998, again with the James Gang in 2024. 

Alongside his work with the Eagles, Walsh continued releasing solo albums. He scored hits such as A Life of Illusion y Ordinary Average Guy. Life’s Been Good, which playfully mocked rockstar excesses even as he lived them, was Walsh’s biggest solo hit. He followed it with a mock run for president in 1980. His versatility made him a sought‑after collaborator, appearing on recordings by artists ranging from Ringo Starr to Michael McDonald. 

Walsh and the Eagles have mounted record-breaking tours since 1994, and 2007 saw the release of Long Road Out of Eden, which debuted at #1 and was the highest-selling album of the year. Analog Man, Walsh’s 10th solo album, was released in 2012. 

Walsh’s father was an Air Force flight instructor, who was killed in a plane crash when Walsh was an infant. As a Gold Star Family member, Walsh has long recognized the sacrifices of those who serve. In 2017, he founded VetsAid, a national nonprofit whose annual concerts have raised millions. In 2025, Walsh came home to Wichita for a VetsAid performance along with Nathaniel Rateliff, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Vince Gill, and Ryan Bingham. 

Today, Joe Walsh remains a towering figure in American music: a Kansas‑born guitarist whose singular sound, restless creativity, and generous spirit continue to shape rock culture and inspire generations of musicians and audiences. 

LEGACY AWARD WINNERS

Pete Felten

Pete Felten is a 92-year-old (born 1933) limestone sculptor from Hays who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years. He first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career. 

His most prominent work includes the eight-foot-tall, approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981. He won the competitive selection process by creating detailed models of each subject. He chose Silverdale limestone from southeastern Kansas for the Capitol work because he believed it to be “the finest Kansas limestone, uniform and excellent for statues.” notably, he declined to sign the work, explaining “this is Kansas’ work, not mine.” 

Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone. In 2024, bronze plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for the work. 

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Alan Held

Alan Held is an artistic titan whose career forms a powerful circle of excellence: trained at Wichita State University, he rose to the pinnacle of the opera world and has now returned to Kansas to cultivate the next generation of vocal artists. Now in his fourth decade as “one of the leading singing actors today,” he has performed more than 80 major roles at the world’s top opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opéra National de Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Teatro alla Scala. His signature roles include Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Amfortas in Parsifal, Scarpia in Tosca, the Four Villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Jochanaan in Salome, and the title roles in Der Fliegende Holländer, Wozzeck, and Cardillac. 

His honors include the Birgit Nilsson Prize, the Dora Mavor Moore Award, an honorary doctorate from Millikin University, and five nominations for the Richard Tucker Award. He has recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle and appears in the Paris Opera DVD of Cardillac conducted by Kent Nagano. 

Since returning to Kansas, Held has served as Professor of Voice and Director of Voice and Opera Studies at Wichita State University, where he holds the Ann and Dennis Ross Faculty of Distinction. In 2020, he became general and artistic director of Wichita Grand Opera, one of the first professional opera leaders in state history. He also serves as director of sacred music at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

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Bobby Watson

Bobby Watson stands among the leading jazz voices of his generation. Born in Lawrence, he has built a four-decade career as a multi- Grammy nominated saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator, and producer. After studying at the University of Miami, he served as musical director of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers from 1977–81, appearing on 14 recordings, more than any other Messenger. 

Watson has performed with numerous jazz luminaries including Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, and Betty Carter. With bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, he formed Horizon, the acclaimed acoustic quintet that became one of the defining small groups of the 1980s and ’90s. His discography includes the classic Love Remains, the Hodges tribute Year of the Rabbit, the Grammy nominated big band album Tailor Made, multiple releases with the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, and music for the film A Bronx Tale. Later projects such as Live & Learn, Horizon Reassembled, and From the Heart reaffirmed his creative range. 

After 25 years in New York, Watson returned to Kansas City to become the first William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri Distinguished Professor of Jazz Studies at UMKC, where he helped build one of the nation’s leading jazz programs. His honors include induction into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award, and recognition on Kansas City’s 18th & Vine Jazz Walk of Fame. Now Professor Emeritus at UMKC, Watson continues to perform, compose, and inspire audiences worldwide. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement

Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Dance 

Ballet Folklorico de Topeka

Ballet Folklorico de Topeka has been a vibrant force for cultural preservation in Kansas for half a century. Founded in 1976 as the oldest program of Justicia, Inc., the company has built an unparalleled legacy of artistic excellence and community connection. Its technical mastery and commitment to authenticity shine through a repertoire representing 22 regions of Mexico. They aim to educate, build community, and preserve culture. Their excellence is recognized through inclusion on the Kansas Arts Commission’s Touring Artist Roster and national affiliation with the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos. 
The group’s deepest impact is its multigenerational community presence. Guided by volunteer leadership, dancers from age 8 to seasoned adults work tirelessly to keep cultural heritage alive. Through free performances, school workshops, and civic collaborations, Ballet Folklorico de Topeka fosters pride, joy, and cross-cultural understanding.

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Literature 

Annette Hope Billings

Annette Hope Billings is a multiple award‑winning poet, actor, and storyteller from Topeka, and a 2025 ArtsConnect ARTY Award recipient in Literature. Dubbed “the Maya of the Midwest,” she is the author of four poetry collections, most recently Just Shy of Stars, with work appearing in numerous journals. In addition to poetry, she writes short stories, plays, and lyrics. A former nurse who retired in 2015 to write full‑time, Billings has built a notable theatre career, including an acclaimed portrayal of Lena Younger in a 2025 production of A Raisin in the Sun, as well as directing and performing in many community productions. 
For more than 12 years, she has co‑hosted the Speak Easy Open Mic Night, a key platform for emerging writers in Topeka. She also leads writing workshops for youth and marginalized groups and is recognized for her long‑term commitment to fostering the regional literary community. Her honors include the Renna Hunter Acting Award and the Troy Scroggins Award. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Media Arts 

Darrell Brogdon

Darrell Brogdon, Program Director for Kansas Public Radio since 1982, has spent four decades shaping the station’s diverse music and arts programming. He is the creator and host of The Retro Cocktail Hour, the long‑running exotica and “space‑age bachelor pad” show launched in 1996 and now syndicated on more than 100 stations nationwide and internationally. The program has built a devoted following, with fans traveling to Kansas for live events. 
From 1985 to 2017, Brogdon produced and was principal writer for the award‑winning comedy show Right Between the Ears, distributed by NPR, BBC Radio 4, and Sirius‑XM, earning multiple Gold Medals and two Grand Prizes from the New York Festivals. As Program Director, he has championed classical, jazz, and new programs featuring Kansas musicians. He also hosts the long‑running Cinema a Go‑Go film series in Lawrence. His work has significantly enriched Kansas’ cultural landscape and strengthened the community surrounding the arts. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Media Arts 

Kevin Willmott

Kevin Willmott is an Academy Award– winning filmmaker, writer, and professor whose work spans film, television, and theater. A Junction City native, he earned a BA from Marymount College and an MFA from New York University. Willmott is known for bold, socially engaged storytelling that highlights African American history, social justice, and overlooked American narratives. 

His films include C.S.A.: Confederate States of America, The Only Good Indian (winner of Best Director at the American Indian Film Festival), The Battle for Bunker Hill, Ninth Street, and Jayhawkers, exploring the early life of Wilt Chamberlain. His long collaboration with Spike Lee earned them the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman, followed by co-writing Da 5 Bloods. 
A committed educator and advocate, Willmott teaches film at the University of Kansas, where he continues to inspire new generations of storytellers. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Music 

María la Mexicana

Maria the Mexican, founded by Topeka sisters Maria and Tess Cuevas, is known for its distinctive fusion of traditional Mexican mariachi with American roots rock, blues, soul, and funk. Their sound bridges cultural and generational divides while honoring their Kansas heritage. The sisters are granddaughters of mariachi pioneer Maria Teresa Alonzo Cuevas who is the namesake of the band and the founder of Mariachi Estrella, which was one of the nation’s first all‑female mariachi ensembles. After performing with Estrella for a decade, the sisters carried this legacy forward, later partnering with musician Garrett Nordstrom in 2012 to create the band’s signature bilingual, genre‑blending style. 

Their work, including albums like South of the Border Moonlight, explores identity and cultural belonging while expanding representation of Mexican‑American artists. 
Featured on NPR member stations such as KCUR in Kansas City and Kansas Public Radio in Lawrence, they are recognized as cultural ambassadors preserving and evolving Kansas’s Mexican‑American musical heritage. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Theatre 

Consejo de las Artes de Main Street

The Main Street Arts Council (MSAC) is a vital organization expanding access to the arts across Northwest Kansas. For 10 years, it has provided arts education and performance opportunities for young people in a region with limited resources. In summer 2025, MSAC celebrated its 10th anniversary with its flagship Main Street Summer Theater Festival, bringing the same production (Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr.) to Atwood, Colby, Goodland, Hoxie, Oakley, and Quinter. All local youth ages 5–18 were invited to participate for free, removing financial barriers and inspiring a love of the arts. 
To mark the milestone, MSAC commissioned Every Town a Stage, a documentary chronicling its impact, later aired on Smoky Hill Public Television. The celebration also featured Broadway performer and Wichita native Desi Oakley, who led youth workshops and offered a free community concert. Through strong partnerships and community support, MSAC has become a model for building a vibrant, collaborative, and sustainable regional 
arts ecosystem.  

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Theatre 

Ryan Urban

Ryan Urban is a highly respected theatre technician whose work has shaped university, community, and professional stages across Kansas and the Midwest. Specializing in lighting design and rigging, he is known for technical expertise, leadership, and a strong commitment to mentoring emerging theatre professionals. He currently serves as house flyman for McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University. His career began at Pittsburg State University, where he helped open the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, and he has since held technical roles at major venues including the Lied Center of Kansas, the Stiefel Theatre, and the Folly Theater. 
As a member of IATSE Local 31, Urban has worked on national tours for artists such as Taylor Swift, Elton John, and Billy Joel. His lighting design work has been featured in multiple UMKC Conservatory opera and dance productions, and he has operated lighting for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Known for professionalism, safety, and inclusive leadership, he is widely praised for mentoring and inspiring students and young technicians across the state. 

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Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Visual Arts 

Ann Resnick

Ann Resnick is a Wichita‑based visual artist whose three‑decade career is defined by conceptually rich, visually intricate work exploring grief, memory, and human connection. A Kansan since 1995, she is a major figure in the state’s contemporary arts scene as both creator and community builder. Resnick is known for her innovative, labor‑intensive processes, especially her use of pyrography to burn delicate, lace‑like patterns into paper. She often transforms personal and collective data into powerful meditations on life and loss. Her art has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including the 2022 solo show Chapter & Verse at the Ulrich Museum of Art and the inaugural Kansas Triennial 25/26 at the Beach Museum of Art. 

Beyond her studio practice, Resnick made a lasting impact through Project Gallery, the nonprofit she and her late husband, Kevin Mullins, ran for more than a decade, providing an essential venue for contemporary artists. Her dedication and advocacy have made her a respected and influential voice.  

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Emerging Arts Organization of the Year 

House of Morrow

House of Morrow has quickly become a dynamic and essential emerging arts organization, tackling one of Emporia’s most urgent challenges with creativity and remarkable efficiency. Led by a board of young, award-winning artists, this volunteer driven nonprofit has moved from vision to proven impact in just two years, directly addressing Lyon County’s significant youth literacy gap. 
Its flagship Diverse Voices/Voces Diversas Literacy Program is a model of targeted arts education. Partnering with local fifth grade classes, professional artists guide students through five weeks of poetry, music, and visual art. The program culminates in the professional publication of their work by Meadowlark Press, turning participants into officially published authors and sparking new confidence and enthusiasm for writing. 
With more than 80 students published and teachers reporting increased engagement, the program has already attracted new investment from the Rotary Club of Emporia. By pairing artistic expression with a direct response to community need, House of Morrow is building a more literate, expressive, and empowered generation of young Kansans. 

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Emerging Arts Organization of the Year 

Kansas Arts Network

The Kansas Arts Network’s mission is to strengthen public commitment and funding for the arts and creativity in Kansas through advocacy, civic engagement, and education. 
The network was formed during the creation of the Kansas Arts Councils Symposium, an annual convening of arts administrators, to meet the need of bringing arts and culture organizations and individuals together from across the state to advocate for and champion public support for the arts. The organization officially filed for legal and non-profit status in 2024 after two years of collaborative efforts and conversations across the State of Kansas. 

Last year, they revived the annual Kansas Arts Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, when advocates from across the state meet in Topeka to connect with legislators about the importance of public funding for arts and culture. The Kansas Arts Network aims to support the work of the Kansas Arts Commission and work collaboratively with like-minded sector affiliates.   

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Emerging Arts Leader of the Year 

Nick Carswell

Nick Carswell is a musician, songwriter, and organizer whose leadership blends artistic credibility, strategic vision, and tireless, hands‑on work. As founder of the Lawrence Music Alliance, he has transformed how the community supports its artists by prioritizing data and collaboration. His first major step was launching the city’s first Lawrence Music Census, a project that identified the real needs of working musicians and led to targeted initiatives like the Mixmaster Conference and Music Business Month. 
As an active performer with Carswell & Hope, Carswell leads as a peer, not an administrator, giving him unmatched insight and trust. He is known for being “at every meeting,” personally connecting artists with paid opportunities and leadership roles, often contributing even while dashing through an airport. Regionally, he serves as a Senior Artist Leadership Fellow for Mid‑America Arts Alliance’s Artist INC program, mentoring artists in professional development. By uniting data‑driven strategy, community organizing, and lived artistic experience, Nick Carswell is building a stronger, more connected creative ecosystem for Lawrence and Kansas. 
Carswell also hosts 105 Live, a contemporary music show on Kansas Public Radio that showcases new and noteworthy music from all 105 counties in Kansas. 

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Excellence in Arts Education 

Cash Hollistah

Cash Hollistah is a nationally recognized hip‑hop artist, spoken word poet, and community activist from Salina who has dedicated his career to inspiring the next generation of Kansas artists. Blending his professional music career with deep commitment to his hometown, he has become a transformative force in arts education by making poetry and music accessible and empowering for young people. 
For more than 15 years, he has worked as a teaching artist in Salina schools through the Arts Infusion program. His Poetry & Hip‑Hop workshops connect contemporary rap with classic poetry, helping students find their voices. His impact extends beyond the classroom through ONE MIC, the open‑mic series he founded to give writers and performers a vital all‑ages platform. 
Hollistah has mentored youth at The City Teen Center, served as a Salina Arts & Humanities Commissioner, and is honored through the annual Cash Hollistah Scholarship Fund. He also serves on the Kansas Music Hall of Fame board. Praised as an innovative and deeply human teacher, he uses his platform to build community, foster creativity, and show the power of art as connection and self‑expression.   

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Excellence in Arts in Business 

Michael Michaelis

Mike Michaelis, chairman and CEO of Emprise Financial Corp. and partner in Reuben Saunders Gallery, has been an arts philanthropist and leader for more than four decades. Under his direction, the Emprise Bank art collection has grown to over 3,400 works by more than 870 Kansas artists, displayed across 32 branch locations, one of the largest corporate collections of Kansas art. He has personally selected every piece since the collection began in 1980. 
When the bank moved to its downtown Wichita headquarters in 1997, he shifted the focus entirely to Kansas artists, expecting to find about 100; the collection now includes over 800. Works have been shared through the U.S. Art in Embassies program in Belize and Uzbekistan. Employees choose art for their offices, and some pieces are gifted at retirement. 
Michaelis has served on the boards of many major Kansas arts institutions and, in 2021, acquired the Reuben Saunders Gallery to preserve it as a platform for Kansas artists. His honors include the Governor’s Arts Award (2007), Americans for the Arts Business Committee Award (2008), and the Wichita Arts Council’s Gordon Evans Award (2012). This nomination recognizes his four decades of lasting, statewide impact. 

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Arts Patron of the Year 

Stev Overstreet

Stev Overstreet is a pillar of the Wichita arts community, a philanthropist whose nearly three decades of personal and strategic generosity have profoundly shaped the city’s cultural life. A lifelong Wichitan and Wichita State University (WSU) alumnus, he is driven by a commitment to creating opportunities, inspired by being the first in his family to attend college. His legacy includes multiple need-based endowed scholarships, such as the James Sprowl Memorial Scholarship, and a major estate gift that will support Fine Arts students for generations. He also founded the Stev Overstreet Ulrich Museum of Art Internship Fund, providing three paid internships each year and creating direct career pathways for emerging museum professionals. 

His leadership extends far beyond financial support. He serves in key roles on numerous boards, including as past president of WSU’s Music Associates and as a founding member of the WSU Performing Arts Angels. Most importantly, he is a constant, encouraging presence at openings, concerts, and student showcases. Through his humble, hands-on engagement, Stev Overstreet has built a lasting legacy that ensures Wichita’s artists, students, and audiences continue to thrive.   

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Arts Advocate of the Year 

Erin Raux

Erin Raux has become a vital arts advocate in Kansas through her transformative work as Curator at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum in Wichita. With an MFA in Sculpture and more than seven years at the museum, she has focused her advocacy on elevating contemporary Native voices and empowering Indigenous artists to reclaim their narratives. Her work goes beyond exhibition, helping shift public perception of Native art from historical artifact to a living, evolving expression of modern culture. 
Raux is dedicated to creating opportunities and building confidence among emerging artists, often guiding first-time exhibitors through the curatorial process with care and respect. Her landmark Following Blackbear exhibit offered Indigenous artists a platform to reinterpret the legacy of Blackbear Bosin, honoring his influence while uplifting a new generation of creators. Her advocacy helps create space for others to speak for themselves. Through thoughtful curation and mentorship, she has strengthened the museum’s role as a cultural hub and championed Indigenous creativity across Kansas. 

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Arts Community of the Year

InterUrban ArtHouse

InterUrban ArtHouse (IUAH), founded in 2011, has become a vital hub for creative exchange and artist empowerment in Overland Park. Located in a repurposed post office, it is built on an ethos of inclusion, offering a welcoming space where artists of all backgrounds can connect, create, and thrive. This commitment to belonging defines the organization’s distinctive vibe. 
IUAH’s impact is recognized through two NEA Our Town grants and multi-year support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for its ArtWorks entrepreneurial training. The City of Overland Park has honored it with both the “Making a Difference Award” and “Service Business of the Year.” 
Its holistic model includes 19 affordable studios, biweekly open studio sessions, and an Annex Gallery Program spanning 14 sites, including nine Johnson County libraries. Through six core programs (ArtSpace, ArtWorks, ArtMatters, ArtHeals, ArtSmart, and ArtsConnect) IUAH engages more than 10,000 people annually with mental wellness arts programs, Title I school enrichment, professional development, and public art. 

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Arts Leader of the Year 

Brittany Novotny

Brittany Novotny has spent 11 years shaping the Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt into a vibrant cultural hub and a model for rural arts engagement. As Director, she blends strategic vision with genuine personal connection, securing the museum’s sustainability through competitive grants, expanded memberships, and signature events like the annual Mardi Gras gala. Her philosophy centers on making the arts accessible to all. She has built strong community partnerships, supported events like May Fest, and personally welcomed more than 1,300 students each year. She helped launch a youth summer art camp and created the Young Artist of the Month program, transforming one student’s enthusiasm into an ongoing celebration of emerging talent. 
Known as a servant leader defined by integrity and kindness, Novotny champions diverse artistic voices and ensures the museum remains an inclusive space. Her impact extends statewide through five years of service as a Commissioner on the Kansas Arts Commission and collaborations with galleries across Kansas and beyond. Colleagues describe her as a fearless advocate whose leadership has enriched the cultural fabric of Kansas.
 

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Arts Organization of the Year

5.4.7 Centro de Arte

Born from the rubble of the EF5 tornado that struck Greensburg in 2007, the 5.4.7 Arts Center has spent nearly 18 years proving the essential role of art in resilience, rebuilding, and community life. 5.4.7 is the cultural heart of Kiowa County and the only arts center between Dodge City and Wichita. It offers exhibitions, classes, and events that make creativity accessible across a vast rural region. Housed in Kansas’ first LEED Platinum building, it stands as a symbol of the town’s innovative and sustainable rebirth. 

With a small but dedicated staff, the center partners with local schools, brings nationally recognized artists to lead workshops, and spreads creativity, education, and inspiration throughout Southwest Kansas. Its stewardship of the M.T. Liggett Art Environment and its leadership of the region’s only artist in residence program preserve cultural heritage while attracting new talent. More than an organization, the 5.4.7 Arts Center is a model for arts-based community development and a testament to what vision and persistence can build. 

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Excellence in Public Service in the Arts 

Pam Curtis

Representative Pam Curtis has represented Kansas House District 32 since 2014, bringing a lifelong commitment to community, creativity, and public service. A Wyandotte County native, she grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, where her parents instilled the values of hard work, service, and giving back. Rep. Curtis’ career includes more than 25 years in state and local government, first helping to coordinate events for the Bicentennial in 1976, and then as the City’s Arts Administrator under Mayor Jack Reardon, where she championed arts programming and cultural development. She later served Governor John Carlin as Assistant to the Governor and Director of Constituent Services. 
Rep. Curtis spent eight years as Chief of Staffto Mayor Joe Reardon, helping advance major community projects and supporting innovation across the region. A strong advocate for Kansas City’s creative economy, she remains active in the entrepreneur and digital-innovation community. For 13 years, Pam and her husband, Steve, ran a commercial photography business, deepening her ties to the arts and local small-business community. A lifelong Wyandotte County resident, Rep. Curtis brings the perspective of a mother, wife, arts advocate, and public servant to her work in the Kansas Legislature. Together with Representative Jerry Stogsdill, she has been a champion of state funding for the arts. 
 

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Excellence in Public Service in the Arts

Jerry Stogsdill

Representative Jerry Stogsdill has served the 21st District in the Kansas House since 2016, earning recognition for clear communication, principled leadership, and strong bipartisan collaboration. A dedicated advocate for Kansas’s creative community, he has championed restoring state investment in the arts and strengthening the Kansas Arts Commission as a vital force in the state’s cultural and economic life. 

Rep. Stogsdill, alongside Representative Pam Curtis, helped secure additional funding for Kansas arts, enabling the state to leverage significant NEA and other grant funding. He also initiated a Post Audit study examining the economic impact of the creative arts industries and strategies to expand their benefits statewide. 
Believing that arts and culture enrich communities, drive economic growth, and help retain young Kansans, Stogsdill continues to promote policies that support creative industries, strengthen public institutions, and enhance quality of life across Kansas.

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