The 2025 Arts United Awards will occur on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 from 5-7 pm.

The Arts United Awards presentation is Northeast Indiana’s premier celebration of the people, organizations, and projects that make significant contributions through arts and culture to communities throughout our region.

 

Thank you to SYM Financial Advisors for sponsoring this year’s awards!

2025 Nominees

Nominees are individuals, teams, projects, events, and/or organizations who have made artistic and cultural contributions to one or more communities located within the 12-county region of Northeast Indiana that includes Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties.

  • Alan Grinsfelder (2025 Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Apple Orchard Knewz
  • Collective Expressions
  • David Fenstermacher (2025 Volunteer of the Year)
  • Eleanor Marine (2025 Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Em Organ (2025 Mayor’s Arts Award)
  • Erin Bean
  • Johanna Bourkova-Morunov
  • Katy Gray
  • Kaylan Buteyn (2025 Distinguished Artist of the Year)
  • Lisa Ellis
  • Maria Tan (2025 Emerging Artist of the Year)
  • Mellissa Depew
  • Michael Greene (2025 Volunteer of the Year)
  • Philharmonic Family Series
  • Plein Air Syracuse
  • Sarah Harber
  • Seth Green (2025 Margaret Ann Keegan Award for Arts Education)
  • Stories from the Stacks – Theatre for Young Readers
  • Straw Bale Art Trail (2025 Outstanding Artistic Endeavor)
  • The Peacemakers
  • The Prom
  • Vanessa Escobar
PAST RECIPIENTS LIST

2025 AWARD CATEGORIES

Distinguished Artist of the Year

Presented to an active, established artist of any creative discipline who has made significant contributions to their art form within Northeast Indiana. Nominations should be focused on contributions made between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.

Emerging Artist of the Year

Presented to a current student* artist of any creative discipline who has demonstrated exceptional talent and accomplishment while still early in their career. Nominations should be focused on contributions made between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.
*A student artist is defined as a person at the early stage of their artistic career who is currently enrolled in high school, a postsecondary educational program, or an education arts program (including ongoing instruction/lessons/mentorships. Age is not a factor in determining an artist’s qualification for this award category.

Margaret Ann Keegan Award for Arts Education

Presented to an individual(s) who has made a significant contribution to furthering arts education in Northeast Indiana. This award is intended to encourage further development of the arts education programs, to increase collaborative efforts between educators and arts organizations, and to increase awareness of the importance of the arts in education.

Outstanding Artistic Endeavor

Established to recognize an artistic project or event of any creative discipline that positively impacted and engaged residents within Northeast Indiana. Nominations should be focused on projects occurring between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, and should demonstrate how the project was innovative, transformative, collaborative, unique, and impactful on the community.

Volunteer of the Year

Presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to our community by serving as an advocate, ambassador, or volunteer for artists and/or arts organizations in Northeast Indiana. Nominations should be focused on contributions made between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY

Nominees should be individuals, teams, projects, events, and/or organizations who have made artistic and cultural contributions to one or more communities located within the 12-county region of Northeast Indiana that includes Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties.

AWARDS TIMELINE

October 1, 2024

Nomination Forms Live

Friday, January 15, 2025

Nomination Forms Due by 11:59 pm

February/March 2025

Nominees Announced to the Public

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Arts United Awards Celebration
Location: ArtsLab Theatre, 300 E. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Time: 5-7 pm, detailed event schedule to come