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SpanishARTS MISSOULA'S ANNUAL ART AND CULTURE AWARDS
Arts Missoula’s Annual Arts Awards event celebrates the people and organizations that make Missoula’s creative community thrive. The ceremony honors outstanding artists, educators, cultural leaders, and advocates whose work enriches the city’s cultural life. Featuring performances, tributes, and a gathering of arts supporters, the event highlights the impact of the arts on Missoula’s identity and recognizes the individuals who inspire creativity, collaboration, and community connection.
AWARD CATEGORIES:
Arts Educator
John Engen Cultural Ambassador
Cultural Vision
Business Support of the Arts
New to the Zoo
2026 Award Recipients
Teresa Waldorf – Arts Educator Award
Sculpture Missoula – Cultural Vision Award
Watch Sculpture Missoula’s Video
Aspen Decker – Individual Artist Award
Watch Aspen’s Video
Missoula Makers Collective – Business Support of the Arts Award
Watch Missoula Makers Collective’s Video
Missoula Sings – New to the Zoo Award
Melissa Blunt – John Engen Cultural Ambassador Award
2025 Award Recipients
Rosie Seitz Ayers – Arts Educator Award
String Orchestra of The Rockies – Cultural Vision Award
Radius Gallery – Business Support of the Arts Award
John Thompson – Individual Artist Award
Giving Art to Missoula – New to the Zoo Award
Laura Millin – John Engen Cultural Ambassador Award
This year’s Awards was nothing short of inspiring. To be in a room filled with trailblazers—artists, educators, culture makers, and community builders—was a powerful reminder of what makes Missoula so special.
Our six recipients exemplified resilience, fortitude, and a deep, clear vision for how art can shape the world around us. Each one reminded us that creativity isn’t just expression—it’s courage, it’s connection, and it’s change. We left the evening full of gratitude and renewed commitment to the work ahead. Thank you to everyone who joined us.
2024 Award Recipients
Nancy Labbe – Arts Educator Award
Craig Menteer – Cultural Vision Award
John Floridis – Individual Artist Award
Park Side Credit Union – Business Support of the Arts Award
Michael Rohd – New to the Zoo Award
Heidi Starrett – John Engen Cultural Ambassador Award
2023 Award Recipients
Tom Bensen ~ John Engen Cultural Ambassador Award
Julia Galloway of the University of Montana ~ Individual Artist Award
Lewis Nelson of Sentinel High School ~Arts Educator Award
Gary Bowman of Morgenroth Music ~ Business Support of the Arts Award
Liv Swant-Johnson of Word Dog ~ Cultural Vision Award
Julia Tai of Missoula Symphony ~ New to the Zoo Award
2022 Award Recipients
Mayor John Engen Cultural Ambassador Award
Joy French Individual Artist Award
Rob Tapper Arts Educator Award
Logjam Presents Business Support for the Arts Award
Open Air Cultural Vision Award
2020 Award Recipients
Nancy Matthews Cultural Ambassador Award
Margaret Baldridge Individual Artist Award
John Combs Arts Educator Award
Blackfoot Communications Business Support for the Arts Award
Zootown Arts Community Center Cultural Vision Award
Past Award
Recipients
2019 Honorees
Cultural Ambassador: Mark Thane
Individual Artist: Corwin “Corky” Clairmont
Arts Educator: Matt Loehrke
Business Support for the Arts: Kimberley Roth / Merrill Lynch
Cultural Vision: Marc Moss
2018 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Sharon Snavely
Individual Artist: James Lee Burke
Arts Educator: H. Rafael Chacon
Business Support for the Arts: Montana Public Radio
Cultural Vision: Charlene Campbell Carey
2017 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Stephen Glueckert
Cultural Vision: Roxy Theater
Arts Educator: Karen Callen
Business Support for the Arts: Downtown Missoula Partnership
Individual Artist: Chuck Florence
2016 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: John Driscoll
Cultural Vision: Clay Studio of Missoula
Arts Educator: Dorothy Morrison
Business Support for the Arts: Flanagan Motors
Individual Artist: Kendahl Jan Jubb
2015 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: William Marcus
Individual Artist: Stephen Kalm
Arts Educator: Karen Kaufman
Business Support for the Arts: Heather Adams, Downtown Dance Collective
Cultural Vision: Michael McGill, MCT Inc.
2014 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Cathy Capps
Individual Artist: Beth Lo
Arts Educator: Tarn Ream & Lisa Deer
Business Support for the Arts: Missoula Federal Credit Union
Cultural Vision: Joel Baird, MCAT
2013 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Carol Stovall
Individual Artist: Darko Butorac
Arts Educator: Mohan Kartha
Business Support for the Arts: The Good Food Store
Cultural Vision: Kim Anderson
2012 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Herb Swick
Individual Artist: David Horgan
Arts Educator: Carla Getz
Business Support for the Arts: Crossings Collaboration
Cultural Vision: Greg Johnson
2011 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Jim & Marci Valeo
Individual Artist: Michael Marsolek
Arts Educator: Dean Peterson
Business Support for the Arts: 103.3 The Trail
Cultural Vision: International Choral Festival
2010 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Bruce Micklus, and Don & Pat Simmons
Business Support for the Arts: First Security Bank
Cultural Program of the Year: Amy Martin, Y Music
2009 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: James Todd and Pat Williams
Business Support for the Arts: The Missoulian
2008 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Tom & Ann Boone and Ray & Susie Risho
Business Support for the Arts: Advanced Litho Printing
2007 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Lance Boyd, William Kittredge, Jodi Marshall and Laura Millin
Business Support for the Arts: Dana Gallery and Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation
2006 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Alayne Dolson, Joseph Henry and Geoff Sutton
Business Support for the Arts: Allegra Print and Imaging and A.L.P.S.
2005 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Eugene Andrie, Dana Boussard, Juliette Crump and Annick Smith
Business Support for the Arts: Dollar Rent-a-Car and Gateway Printing
2003 Honorees
(Awarded January 2004)
Cultural Achievement: Geoff Badenoch, Sheryl Noethe, Rudy Autio and Gerald Doty
Business Support for the Arts: Southgate Mall and Rockin’ Rudy’s
2002 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: John & Sue Talbot, Theresa Cox, James Welch and Barbara Theroux
2000 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Terry Conrad, Don Carey, Jim Caron and Monte Dolack
1999 Honorees
Cultural Achievement: Jo-Anne Mussulman, Joseph Mussulman and David Nelson
What People are Saying
“The wonderful folks at Arts Missoula held their 2023 Arts and Cultures Awards Reception this evening and what a tremendous slate of Missoulians recognized for their contributions to the arts, new and old. The arts play such an important role in defining the personality of a community, and Missoula continues to shine brightly. Support for the arts, or as was said tonight, the opportunity to do things with your hands, is the expectation in Missoula, as it should be. The opportunities provided by the Arts for our youngest residents to our oldest, from programs in our schools to cultural events throughout the year, we are lucky to live in this place where people care enough to give back.” – Mike Nugent