43rd Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards Call for Nominations

Each year, over the last four decades, the Lincoln Arts Council presents the Mayor’s Arts Awards to honor artists and arts education programs in our community.  This year’s celebration will be held October 28, 2022 at the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts.

It’s not too early to make a submission. You are invited to nominate a project, organization or person for recognition. Please see the nomination guidelines below, along with past award winners.

The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2022. 

Submit your Nomination here: Online Nominate Form

The Purpose of the Mayor's Arts Awards

The Mayor’s Arts Awards are designed to honor and celebrate persons and organizations that contribute to the vibrancy of the arts and/or increase access to arts experiences in Lincoln, Nebraska. Please note: Winners must be present at the ceremony to confirm their selection.

Mayor's Arts Awards Categories and Descriptions

Artistic Achievement Award - Visual Arts. Recognizes excellence and accomplishment in any of the visual arts, including theater & film.

Artistic Achievement Award – Youth. Recognizes excellence and accomplishment in any arts discipline by a young person age 18 or younger.

Artistic Achievement Award - Performing Arts. Recognizes excellence and accomplishment in any of the performing arts, including film.

Artistic Achievement Award – Literary Arts. Recognizes excellence and accomplishment in literary form.

ArtScene Backstage Award. Recognizes extraordinary service to the arts through behind-the-scenes efforts.

Benefactor of the Arts Award. Honors an individual, family, organization or business making significant financial contributions to the arts.

Gladys Lux Education Award. Recognizes special initiatives or dedication to arts education.

Heart of the Arts Award. Recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding volunteer dedication to the arts or for making a major overall impact on the arts in Lincoln.

Legacy of the Arts Award. Recognizes a senior (age 55 and up) actively involved in creating, teaching, sharing or inspiring artistic expression in any discipline.

Lincoln Community Foundation Arts for Kids Award. Honors an individual or organization from outside of the arts professions whose leadership has enhanced arts activities and experiences for children.

Outstanding Event Award. Recognizes a performance, exhibition or project in the previous year (2020-21) that will be notable in the community memory for years to come because of its content or cultural significance. This includes online and live streamed events. 

Outstanding Arts Organization. Recognizes an arts group that has made significant contributions to Lincoln’s arts community over a period of years.

PAST MAYOR’S ARTS AWARD WINNERS
(past 10 years)

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD -- LITERARY
2021 - Mary Pipher
2020 - Lucy Adkins & Becky Breed
2019 – Paul Johnsgard
2018 – L Kent Wolgamott
2017 – Rex Walton
2016 – Twyla Hansen
2015 – Stephen Buhler
2014 - Gil Savery
2013 – Joel Sartore
2012 - Joe Starita
2011 - Jim McKee and Linda Hillegass

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - PERFORMING ARTS
2021 - Kokyo Taiko
2020 - Kim Osborne Salistean
2019 – Daniel Kubert
2018 – Jackie Allen
2017 – Richard Nielsen
2016 – Matthew Lukasiewicz
2015 – Courtney Piccoli
2014 - Tom Larson
2013 - Pippa White
2012 - Stephen Gaines
2011 - Dan Stratman

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - VISUAL ARTS
2021 - Lisa Lockman
2020 - Robert Esquivel
2019 – Santiago Cal
2018 – Shelley Thornton
2017 – Amy Smith
2016 – Karen Kunc
2015 – Wendy Jane Bantam
2014 - Conrad Quijas
2013 – Marjorie Mikasen
2012 - Janice Stauffer
2011 - Judith Burton
2010 - Sharon Vandenack

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – YOUTH
2021 - Yanori Ferguson
2020- Natalie Leininger
2019 – Sarah Nguyen
2018 – Mackenzie Davenport
2017 – Jonah Kelly
2016 – Samantha Payant
2015 – Rachele Merliss
2014 – Katharen Hedge
2013 - Alex Wooten
2012 - Rebecca DeNell
2011 - Madeline Cass
2010 -Will Lepinski

ARTSCENE BACKSTAGE AWARD
2021 - Arts Incorporated
2020 - Kathryn Cover
2019 – Lynn Johnson
2018 – Eileen Brewster
2017 – Brad Buffum
2016 – Michelle Zinke
2015 – Richard Imig
2014 - Juliana Hagemeier
2013 - Morrie Enders
2012 - Nancy Dawson
2011 - Bill Stibor

BENEFACTOR OF THE ARTS AWARD
2021 - Larry Small
2020 – Jack & Sally Campbell
2019 – Pearle Francis Finigan Foundation
2018 – Donald Campbell
2017 – Phil Perry
2016 – Glenn Korff
2015 – Mary Riepma Ross
2014 - Friends of the Lied
2013 – Russ’ Market/ B & R Stores
2012 - Robert and Vicki Northrup
2011 - Bets and Larry Frederick

GLADYS LUX EDUCATION AWARD
2021 - Lorinda Rice
2020 - Robert Henrichs
2019 – Jack Parkhurst
2018 – JF International Music Academy
2017 – Robert Hillestad
2016 – Lincoln Music Teachers Association
2015 – Nancy Engen-Wedin
2014 - Art Van deLux
2013 - Joan Reist
2012 - Christin Mamiya
2011 - Ann Gradwohl

HEART OF THE ARTS AWARD
2021 - Pepe Fierro
2020 - Eric Stearns
2019 – Mayor Chris Beutler
2018 – Peggy Gomez
2017 – Dean Settle
2016 – Laurie Richards
2015 – Carol Rustad
2014 - Marthaellen Florence
2013 - Jean Martin
2012 - Claire Hoppe
2011 - Don Gill

LARRY ENERSEN URBAN DESIGN AWARD (Selected by the Urban Design Committee)
2021 - To be awarded in 2022
2020 – Block 52 (Lumberworks Block) & N Street Bikeway/BikeLNK
2019 – The Mill Coffee & Tea
2018 – Centennial Mall Improvements
2017 – P Street District Improvements
2016 – Lincoln Mall Revitalization
2015 – Pinnacle Bank Arena and Associated West Haymarket Redevelopment
2014 - Antelope Creek Village & Fallbrook
2013 - Antelope Valley Project – The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the City of Lincoln
2012 - no recipient
2011 - no recipient

LEGACY OF THE ARTS AWARD
2021 - Colleen Eubanks
2020 - Joe Ruffo
2019 – Tice Miller
2018 – Julia Noyes
2017 – Robert Hall
2016 – Ed Love
2015 - Annette Murrell
2014 – David Fowler (first year)

LINCOLN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ARTS FOR KIDS AWARD
2021 - The Bay/Rabble Mill
2020 – Girl Scouts artVenture
2019 – St. Elizabeth Foundation & Anna Alcalde
2018 – Lincoln Children’s Museum
2017 - Kevin Clark
2016 – Teach a Kid to Fish
2015 – Mourning Hope
2014 - Union Bank & Trust Company
2013 – Science of Sound Program/Lincoln Community Learning Centers
2012 - Sarah Lahr
2011 - Jason Schmit

MAYOR’S CHOICE AWARD (Selected by the current Mayor of Lincoln)
2021 - Public Art Lincoln Billboard Project
2020 - Down Under Pottery
2019 – The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel Artist-in-Residence Program
2018 – Francisco Souto
2017 – “Puddin’ and the Grumble” by Becky Boesen and David von Kampen and The Grumble Project
2016 – “Poverty Not a Choice” from Nebraska Loves Public Schools|
2015 – Virginia Smith
2014 – Kathryn and Marc LeBaron
2013- Morris “Magic Slim” Holt
2012 - The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center
2011 - Becky Boesen, “In My Daughter’s Name”

OUTSTANDING ARTS ORGANIZATION AWARD
2021 - Lied Center for Performing Arts
2020 - Fiendish Plots
2019 – Capital Jazz Society
2018 – The Burkholder Project
2017 – Angels Theatre Company
2016 – Nebraska Girls Shakespeare
2015 – Lincoln Midwest Ballet
2014 - Lincoln Boys Choir
2013 - The Nebraska Brass
2012 - Friends of the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery
2011 - MEDICI

OUTSTANDING EVENT AWARD
2021 - Art Safari (LUX Center for the Arts)
2020 - Vision Maker Film Festival
2019 – Celebration of Philip Glass
2018 – Nebraska By Heart
2017 – “Standing Bear – A Ponca Indian Cantata” by Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate
2016 – Illuminating Lincoln: Lighthouse
2015 – Penguin Project / Lincoln Community Playhouse
2014 – “Heroes Among Us” by Hildegard Center for the Arts
2013 – “Gods of the Prairie”/ The Colonel Mustard Amateur Attic Theatre Co.
2012 - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Flatwater Shakespeare
2011 - “Textiles and Settlement: From Plains Space to Cyber Space”