Oklahoma Arts Council News

Honorees Announced for 46th Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards

Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell will join the Oklahoma Arts Council on Tuesday, January 20, at the Oklahoma State Capitol to recognize 21 individuals and organizations for their outstanding efforts in the arts. The 46th Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the fourth-floor rotunda. The public is invited to join in the celebration of this year's honorees, who will be presented awards in various categories:

The Governor's Award
Jean Ann Fausser (Tulsa)
Glenna and Richard Tanenbaum (Oklahoma City)

Business in the Arts Award
Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (Edmond)
The Springer Company (Oklahoma City)

Arts in Education Award
Brenda Alexander (Woodward)
Jennifer Baker (Norman)
Lisa Coulter (Tishomingo)
Vicki Gelona (Ardmore)
Mariana Llanos (Oklahoma City)
Susan Mueller (Bartlesville)

Community Service Award
John Bedford (Norman)
Hal French (Edmond)
Brian Horton (Broken Arrow)
Lauren Green (Bartlesville)
ShIronbutterfly Ray (Muskogee)
Jabee Williams (Oklahoma City)

Media in the Arts Award
Jim Johnson, KGOU Radio (Norman)
Abbie de Vera, KOTV – News on 6 (Tulsa)

George Nigh Public Service in the Arts Award
Tim Gatz, Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation (El Reno)

Special Recognition Award
Oklahoma Music Educators Association (Statewide)
The Questers Cimarron Chapter 1195 (Edmond)

Save the Date! Statewide Summit on Arts and Health in May

Planning for a special statewide summit specific to arts and health is currently underway. Organized by the Oklahoma Arts Council, the one-day event will take place May 21 at OU Health in Oklahoma City and will feature national and local speakers who are shaping the growing intersection of arts and health. Arts organizations, teaching artists, and healthcare professionals who attend will hear the latest data and trends. Dr. Tasha Golden, an international expert in creativity and wellbeing will be the featured keynote.

Plan for this important summit to learn how your work in the arts can expand and grow in this quickly evolving and important area.

Save the Date! 🗓️✍️ 
Oklahoma Arts and and Health Summit 
May 21, 2026
Nicholson Tower
OU Health
Oklahoma City

More details will be announced soon! Stay tuned.

Made possible in part by special funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and through a grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET).

Calls for Artists: Two Oklahoma Art in Public Places Opportunities

The Oklahoma Arts Council currently has two calls for artists open for the Oklahoma Art in Public Places program. Qualifications are being accepted from arts and artist teams for the following:

Honey Springs Visitor Center
A public art sculpture at the new Honey Springs Visitor Center will commemorate the heroic achievements and courageous efforts of Black troops who fought in the Battle of Honey Springs near present-day Checotah, Oklahoma. The project is a partnership of the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Historical Society.

The selected artist or artist team will receive $150,000 to create the artwork. Deadline for submissions is December 15. Submit qualifications and download the RFQ here.

Allen Wright Memorial Library
Design and oversight of the installation of a terrazzo floor artwork will guide visitors toward an updated archival area at the Allen Wright Memorial Library in Oklahoma City. The main location of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL), the building is undergoing renovation. The commissioned artwork can honor the library's namesake while highlighting ODL's role and impact.

The selected artist or artist team will receive $35,000 to create the artwork. Deadline for submissions is January 13. Submit qualifications and download the RFQ here.

Click here to view calls for artists on the Oklahoma Arts Council website.

Investing in Hope: The Promising Role of Arts in Incarceration

Addressing the state's high rate of incarceration has been a priority of state leaders in recent years. Governor Stitt and legislative members have undertaken several justice reform measures to reduce the rate. Among the highest in the nation, Oklahoma's rate is a burden to tax payers and is detrimental to families and communities. To assist state leaders in achieving results toward criminal justice reform, the Oklahoma Arts Council is leading efforts to make Oklahoma a nationwide leader in leveraging the arts to address incarceration concerns.

A new publication released by the Oklahoma Arts Council, "Investing in Hope: Restoring Arts in Incarceration" outlines research showing the arts as effective tools for prevention, intervention, and recidivism. Benefits and cost reductions are cited, and examples of efforts by state arts agencies nationwide are outlined. The piece also includes four recommendations for state leaders to consider in leveraging the arts as tools in criminal justice reform. 

Look for updates on the agency's work with state leaders to harness hope from the arts for improved outcomes in our justice system.

Apply for Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants

Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) has announced the opening of the 2026 Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant. Funding through the program can be used for community-based arts engagement programming designed to support health, well-being, and quality of life for military-connected individuals. The program is part of the Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and state, local, and tribal government entities with at least three years of experience presenting arts-based programming for military communities. Funding is offered in one of two categories:

Emerging: offers up to $10,000 to support the development and implementation of new or emerging non-clinical arts engagement programs

Advanced: offers $10,000-$25,000 to support organizations with established military-related non-clinical arts engagement programming

Projects must have at least one partner and be led by or include at least one organization with a history of creative or artistic programming.

Deadline to apply is January 15. Read the announcement here.

RELATED: M-AAA offering special virtual Artist INC Express program in Oklahoma, February 20-22.

Tulsa's Greenwood District Earns Levitt Grant for New Music Series

Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District, in partnership with Tulsa-area partners, will soon present a new live music series for free in several budding areas of the city after receiving a grant award from the Levitt Foundation. The foundation has announced awards for 66 communities nationwide through its Levitt Music Series Grants. The grants are designed to spark new life in underused public spaces. Funding will support the presentation of free outdoor concerts through 2028 in each location.

Partnering with Tulsa Route 66 Main Street, the Tulsa Global District, the Phoenix District, and the City of Tulsa, Greenwood's proposal will bring their music series to multiple locations, with the goal of activating spaces and bringing people to districts that are currently undergoing revitalization efforts. Their plan will present concerts in North Tulsa, the Global District, and the Kendall Whittier District.

Read more about the Greenwood District proposal and the plans to boost these emerging districts with live music.

NEA Big Read Applications Now Available

Organizations interested in organizing a community-wide reading program can receive support through the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) Big Readprogram. In partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA has announced the opening of the application phase for 2026-2027. Up to $20,000 is available for programming centered on a selection of books. Activities often programmed with the Big Read include kick-off events, author visits, lectures, poetry slams, writing workshops and contests, and more.

The 2026 NEA Big Read will center on the theme America250 in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Books available for this year's program celebrate America's culture, history, and resilience.

Nonprofit organizations, universities, libraries, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are eligible to apply. A mandatory intent to apply is due January 15.

How to apply for the NEA Big Read.

Unrestricted Artist Grant Awards

Artist Grant is an organization founded in 2017 by a small group of creative people from varied artistic and professional backgrounds. With a mission to support artists with the resources they need to focus on their creative work without the burdens of complex application processes, Artist Grant awards unrestricted funding of $1,200 to emerging and established artists worldwide. Grants are awarded three time per year, with an application process that is simple, only requiring a small set of materials, including images or website link and a brief bio or CV. Learn more and view upcoming deadlines here. 

In Memorium: Mary Jo Watson

The Oklahoma Arts Council is remembering Dr. Mary Jo Watson this month, after her passing on November 18. Watson was a former member of the Governor-appointed Oklahoma Arts Council. She was also a recipient of The Governor's Award at the Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards in 2002, presented for longtime leadership and significant contributions to the arts. She had previously been awarded a Marilyn Douglass Award for her outstanding work and commitment as a member of the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Beyond shaping state arts policy as a member of the Oklahoma Arts Council, Watson's distinguished career was centered on her position at the University of Oklahoma where she transformed the School of Art into the national epicenter for the study of Native American art. Watson built on the legacy of leaders like Oscar Jacobson, creating the first PhD program in art history in the state. Her former students now contribute at major art institutions including the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, First Americans Museum, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Arts (Gilcrease Museum), and the Oklahoma Arts Council, among others.

Betty Price Gallery Temporary Closure through January 20

Having displayed the inaugural exhibitions of the Betty Price Gallery since the gallery reopened in its new space in February 2025, the Oklahoma Arts Council will close the gallery temporarily to make several minor changes to the works being displayed. The space will close December 1 and is scheduled to reopen in conjunction with the 46th Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards on Tuesday, January 20. Be sure to visit arts.ok.gov for updates about the Betty Price Gallery.