The Phoenix Awards honor and celebrate outstanding artistic achievement in the Lawrence community.
Since the inception of the Phoenix Awards in 1996, more than 155 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.
Media Release: City of Lawrence Announces 2023 Phoenix Award Recipients
In 2023, the Cultural Arts Commission recognized the following six awardees:
- Cider Gallery, awarded for Creative Spaces in the Arts
- Nominated by Tiffany Hall, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce
- Indigenous Community Center, awarded for Creative Spaces in the Arts
- Nominated by Felice Lavergne for Lawrence Transit
- Heidi Gluck, awarded for Musical Arts
- Nominated by Brad Allen
- Mike Jones, awarded for Musical Arts Educator
- Nominated by Tim Metz
- Regana “Rita” Rials, awarded for Social Justice in the Arts
- Nominated by Derek Kwan
- Richard Renner, awarded for Performing Arts
- Nominated by Larry Carter
The 2023 awards by Toni Brou.
Photo of the six 2023 Phoenix Awards created by Toni Brou
Phoenix Award Design & Creation
Each year, the individual awards for the annual recognitions are commissioned by the Cultural Arts Commission and created by a local artist or artist team. Artwork for this project is commissioned through the City of Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission. 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 Lawrence Arts Center in the case next to the front desk.
For more information, contact Abby Bush-Wilder at (785) 832-3460 or awilder@lawrenceks.org.
The application closed at 4 pm on May 31, 2023.