Nominations now being accepted for EVPL Foundation Art Awards

Evansville – The EVPL Foundation is now accepting nominations for this fall’s Art Awards, recognizing those who have made significant contributions to the arts in southwestern Indiana.

The awards will honor individuals, groups, businesses, projects, and institutions, and will be presented at the EVPL Foundation’s In The Stacks event on Friday, November 13, 2026. Finalists in each category will be announced in advance and will receive two free tickets to the event. Mayor Stephanie Terry will be in attendance to present the prestigious Mayor’s Art Award, which recognizes far-reaching contributions to the arts in our community.

“In our first year as the Regional Arts Partner, the EVPL Foundation is delighted to continue the tradition of the Art Awards,” said Heather Kelsey, COO, EVPL. “These awards not only acknowledge current contributors to the arts, but also inspire new artists to design, create, write, or perform new works for the benefit of all.”

“Growing the scope and breadth of art in our community is one of the goals of the EVPL Foundation,” said Kelsey. “One example of that effort is the creation of a Culinary Arts Award to recognize how food artisans enhance our local culture.”

The nomination form is available at evpl.org/artawards, and nominations will be accepted through August 14, 2026, in the following categories:

• Mayor’s Art Award – This highly prestigious honor is given to an individual whose contributions to the arts have had an exceptional impact on the community. Consideration is given to evidence of long-standing support of, or life-long interest in, the arts. The nominee must be a current resident of Vanderburgh County whose arts activities have had significant impact on the City of Evansville.
• Visual Art Award – This award recognizes an exceptional candidate from the visual arts discipline.
• Performing Art Award – This award recognizes an exceptional candidate from the performing arts discipline.
• Literary Art Award – This award recognizes an exceptional candidate from the literary arts discipline.
• Culinary Art Award – This award recognizes an exceptional candidate from the culinary arts discipline.
• Young Artist Award – This award recognizes a rising high school junior or senior in the 2026-2027 school year who displays exceptional aptitude in an artistic discipline.
• Art Educator Award – This award recognizes an exceptional educator who directly influences and engages students of any age through the visual, literary, culinary, or performing arts.
• Art Project Award – This award recognizes a project that utilized the arts to advance community, economic development, or quality of life goals or initiatives in the 2025 calendar year.

More information about the In The Stacks event, including ticket and sponsorship opportunities, will be available later this summer.

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