Phoenix Awards

The Phoenix Awards honor and celebrate outstanding artistic achievement in the Lawrence community.

Since the inception of the Phoenix Awards in 1996, more than 161 local artists, sculptors, photographers, dancers, musicians, vocalists, educators, writers and literary supporters, administrators, organizations, and volunteers have been recognized by their peers and fellow Lawrencians. (You can see the list of all the awardees and the artists who made each award by clicking on the black tab marked, "Past Phoenix Award Winners," below.)

There are 10 categories for five awards: Arts Advocate, Arts Administrator, Arts Education, Design Arts, Literary Arts, Musical Arts, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Volunteer in the Arts, and the Phoenix Award for Exceptional Artistic Achievement. There is also a "Creative Spaces" Award category which recognizes outstanding achievement in imaginative and environmentally forward-thinking place-making.

2026 Phoenix Award Nominations

At its October 14 meeting, the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission reviewed 11 nominations and selected the following six recipients:

Paul Popiel, nominated by Tom Davoren
Cordelia Brown, nominated by Feloniz Lovato-Winston
Kent Smith, nominated by Kylie Smith
Deborah Woodall Routledge, nominated by Tim Metz
David Vertacnik, nominated by Marshall Maude
Hong Chun Zhang, nominated by David Cateforis

This year's Phoenix Awards will be made by local artist Mara Strayer.

The 2026 Phoenix Awards ceremony will take place in December as part of the Winter Inclusive Market at Abe & Jake's Landing. Additional details about the celebration will be announced as they become available.

The City of Lawrence and the Cultural Arts Commission congratulate this year's recipients and thank everyone who submitted nominations in recognition of the individuals who enrich our community through the arts.

2025 Phoenix Awards

2025 marked the 25th anniversary of the Phoenix Award Ceremony. Media Release with list of 2025 Phoenix Award recipients

Image of the 2025 Phoenix Awards made by C. Bryan Young

The Phoenix Awards online nominations closed at 4 pm on October 31, 2025.

Photo of the six 2023 Phoenix Awards created by Toni Brou

Photo of the 2023 Phoenix Awards created by Toni Brou

Phoenix Award Design & Creation

The individual awards for the annual recognitions are commissioned by the Cultural Arts Commission and created by a local artist or artist team. While creativity and innovation are encouraged, the awards must also be practically suitable for display and very well constructed to be able to survive handling and long-term display. Past awards are on view at the Carnegie Building conference room.

For more information, contact Porter Arneill at parneill@lawrenceks.gov.

Past Phoenix Award Winners

1^st Annual
1996	Award by Artist:	Ron Hinton; Medium: Metal
	Literary Arts:	Jim McCrary
	Musical Arts:	Bill Crahan
	Performing Arts:	Mary Doveton
	Visual Arts:	Wayne Wildcat
	Arts Education:	Sarah Oblinger
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Robert Sudlow
	Special Commissioner’s Award:	Herk Harvey

2^nd Annual
1997	Award by Artist:	Dick Rector/Free State Glass; Medium: Glass
	Literary Arts:	Luci Tapahonso
	Musical Arts:	Stan Shumway
	Performing Arts:	Ric Averill
	Visual Arts:	Ardys Ramberg
	Arts Education:	Alan Brummell
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Mike Ott
	Special Recognition Award:	John Clifford

3^rd Annual
1998	Award by Artist:	Patricia Shebola; Medium: Ceramics
	Literary Arts:	Brian Doldorph
	Musical Arts:	Cornel Pewewardy
	Performing Arts:	Candi Baker
	Visual Arts:	Judi Geer Kellas
	Arts Education:	Ann Evans
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Matt Kirby

4^th Annual
1999	Award by Artists:	Linda Samson-Telleur and Cathy Ledeker; Media: Bookmaking/Calligraphy
	Literary Arts:	Sandra Wiechert
	Musical Arts:	Lewis R. Tilford
	Performing Arts:	Paul Stephen Lim
	Visual Arts:	Jim Brothers
	Arts Education:	Lynn Green
	Arts Volunteer:	James Seaver
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Peter G. Thompson

5^th Annual
2000	Award by Artist:	Jon Blumb; Medium: Photography
	Literary Arts:	Denise Low-Weso
	Musical Arts:	Robert A. Reid
	Performing Arts:	Joan Stone
	Visual Arts:	Jon Havener
	Visual Arts:	Louis Copt
	Arts Education:	Barbara Kelly
	Arts Volunteer:	Jack Riegle

6^th Annual
2001	Award by Artist:	Chris Wolf Edmonds; Medium: Textiles/Quilt
	Musical Arts:	Winnefred Gallup/Larry Maxey
	Performing Arts:	Deborah Bettinger
	Visual Arts:	Jan Gaumnitz
	Visual Arts:	Joe Skeeba
	Arts Education:	Betsy Starman
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Hobart Jackson

7^th Annual
2002	Award by Artist:	Jan Gaumnitz; Medium: Ceramics
	Literary Arts:	Priscilla Howe
	Performing Arts:	Cohen/Suzeau
	Visual Arts:	Laurie Culling
	Visual Education:	Maria Martin
	Arts Volunteers:	Gunda & Dave Hiebert
	Arts Volunteer:	Sidney Roedel
	Special Recognition Award:	Jan Biles

8^th Annual
2003	Award by Artist:	Lisa Grossman; Medium: Oil on Panel
	Musical Arts:	James S. Ralston
	Visual Arts:	Diana Dunkley
	Visual Arts:	Rick Mitchell
	Performing Arts:	Jennifer Glenn
	Arts Volunteer:	Jean Lominska
	Special Recognition Award:	Judy Billings
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Chris Wolf Edmonds

9^th Annual
2004	Award by Artist:	Grace Carmody; Media: Metal, Wood, Rubber
	Musical Arts:	Steven Mason
	Visual Arts:	Henry Fortunato
	Arts Education:	Linda Reimond
	Literary Arts:	Elizabeth Schultz
	Literary Arts:	Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
	Arts Volunteer:	Karl Gridley
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Stephen Johnson

10^th Annual
2005	Award by Artist:	Celia Smith; Media: Wood, Canvas, Paint
	Musical Arts:	Joyce Castle
	Educator in the Arts:	David Loewenstein
	Educator in the Arts:	Sue Kwak
	Visual Arts:	Paul Hotvedt
	Visual Arts:	Barry Coffin
	Performing Arts:	Jack Riegle
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Brad Levy
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Janet Hamburg

11^th Annual
2006	Award by Artist:	Edward C. Robison, III; Media: Photography
	Educator in the Arts:	Laurie Mclane-Higginson
	Literary Arts:	Pat Kehde and Mary Lou Wright
	Musical Arts:	Clyde Bysom
	Performing Arts:	Karen Christilles
	Visual Arts:	Mary Anne Jordan
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Jane Malin
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Dan Sabatini
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Bob and Trish McWilliams

12^th Annual
2007	Award by Artist:	Catherine Hale Robins; Media: Sculpture
	Musical Arts:	Janeal Krehbiel
	Arts Advocate:	Ted Johnson
	Performing Arts:	Vince Gnojek
	Visual Arts:	KT Walsh
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Joyce Schild
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Linda Frost
	Arts Administrator:	Kathy Pryor
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Barb Wasson

13^th Annual
2008	Award by Artist:	Kristin Morland; Media: Sequins and beads
	Literary and Visual Arts:	Barbara Brackman
	Literary Arts:	Lee Chapman
	Performing Arts:	Annette Cook
	Arts Educator:	Anne Patterson
	Visual Arts:	Celia Smith
	Film:	Kevin Willmot
	Photography:	Mike Yoder
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Elden Tefft

14^thAnnual
2009	Award by Artist:	Bob Gent; Media: Glass
	Arts Administrator:	Linda D. Baranski
	Design Arts:	Richard Klocke
	Literary Arts:	Stan Lombardo
	Performing Arts:	Doug Weaver
	Arts Advocate:	Margaret Weisbrod-Morris

15^th Annual
2010	Award by Artist:	Vernon Brejcha; Media: Glass and Print
	Visual Arts:	Carol Ann Carter
	Design Arts:	Ron Chinn
	Special Commissioners’ Award:	Dalton Howard
	Educator in the Arts:	Anthea Scouffas
	Performing Arts:	John Staniunas

16^th Annual
2011	Award by Artist:	David Van Hee; Media
	Visual Arts:	Toni Brou
	Arts Advocate:	Sally K. Davis
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	Kate Dinneen
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Rose Lawson
	Educator in the Arts:	Susan Ralston

17^th Annual
2012	Award by Artist:	Sally Piller, Print media
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement:	John Hachmeister
	Visual Arts:	Lori Norwood
	Literary Arts:	David Ohle
	Performance Artist:	Wayne Propst
	Volunteer in the Arts:	Mary Ann Saunders

18^thAnnual
2013	Award by Artist:	Alicia Kelly, paper and mixed media
	Educator in the Arts	Cathy Ledeker
	Visual Arts	Ben Ahlvers
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement	Laura Ramberg
	Musical Arts	John Jervis
	Creative Spaces	Theatre Lawrence

19^th Annual
2014	Award by Artist:	Kim Brook - Medium: Ceramic
	Educator in the Arts	Dr. Marilyn Stokstad
	Visual Arts	Lora Jost
	Performing Arts	Lawrence Civic Choir
	Musical Arts	Lauralyn Bodle
	Creative Spaces	Heidi Raak and The Raven Book Store

20th Annual		2015 Phoenix Awards Summary(PDF, 926KB)
2015	Award Created by Artist:	Marie McKenzie - Media: Wood, Glass
	Educator in the Arts	Dr. John Derby
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement	Marty Olson
	Creative Spaces	The Committee on Imagination and Place

21st Annual		2016 Phoenix Awards Summary(PDF, 855KB)
2016	Award Created by Artist:	Kyla Strid- Media: Ceramics
	Exceptional Artistic Achievement	George Paley
	Musical Arts	Marty Olson
	Art Education/Visual Arts	Shellie Bender
	Design Arts	Marla Jackson
	Visual Arts	Sally Piller
	Visual Arts	Bill Snead

22nd Biannual		2017 Phoenix Awards Summary(PDF, 6MB)
2017	Award Created by Artist:	Jeremy Rockwell
	Artist and Arts Administration	Steve Richardson
	Visual Arts	Nicholas Ward
	Design Arts	Jane Pennington

23rd Biannual		2019 Phoenix Awards Summary(PDF, 498KB)
2019	Award Created by Artist:	Jennifer Joie Webster & Walt Hull; Medium: Glass and Metal
	Visual Arts-Painting:	Lisa Grossman
	Arts Volunteer:	Clenece Hills
	Architecture/Creative Spaces:	Dan Rockhill
	Visual Arts-Painting/Arts Education:	Roger Shimomura
	Arts and Culture Educator:	Jancita Warrington

24th Annual		2023 Phoenix Award Summary(PDF, 799KB)
2023	Award Created by Artist:	Toni Brou
	Creative Spaces in the Arts:	Phoenix Gallery
	Creative Spaces in the Arts:	Indigenous Community Center
	Musical Arts:	Heidi Gluck
	Musical Arts Educator:	Mike Jones
	Social Justice in the Arts:	Regina "Rita" Rials
	Performing Arts:	Richard Renner

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission has full discretion in the selection of Phoenix Award winners. Preference will be given to those who have not been prior award recipients; nonetheless, prior awardees will be considered.