An Agency of State Government
Every two years, Montana honors those individuals and institutions who've contributed a substantial legacy to the arts in Big Sky Country. Presented in the Governor's name, these awards represent the highest honor Montana bestows on those working in the visual, performing, and literary arts.
Selection Criteria
The Governor's Arts Award honors outstanding citizens and organizations in Montana whose achievements in the arts, or on behalf of the arts, benefit all Montanans.
Awardees demonstrate:
The process for selecting awardees goes through two phases: nomination and finalist review. Candidates must be living at the time of nomination, and previous awardees are not eligible. Montana Arts Council members and staff are not eligible to submit nominations. An individual may make more than one nomination, each with a separate nomination form. By completing a nomination form, the nominator signifies the intent to provide additional information if the candidate advances as a finalist and awardee. Nominations can be submitted online or postmarked through mail before the deadline date.
Nominations are now closed for the current cycle of Governor's Arts Awards.
Information required at the time of nomination includes:
Nominees will be vetted to identify finalists, using the following criteria:
Finalists information will include:
Finalists will be reviewed using the following criteria:
A
Philip Aaberg, 1995
Stephen Ambrose, 1999
Eugene Andrie, 1981
Archie Bray Foundation, 1981
Lela Autio, 2015
Rudy Autio, 1981
B
Francis Bardanouve, 1995
Joanna Barker, 2001
Uri Barnea, 2003
Rick Bass, 2018
Patty Bergquist, 2020
Bigfork Summer Playhouse, 1997
Judith Blegen, 1983
Dana Boussard, 1987
John Buck and Deborah Butterfield, 2010
James Lee Burke, 2001
C
Ray Campeau, 1987
Donald Carey, 2001
Russell Chatham, 1997
Corwin Clairmont, 2008
Terry Conrad, 2008
Custer County Art and Heritage Center, 2003
D
Gennie DeWeese, 1995
Robert DeWeese, 1995
Ivan Doig, 1991
Monte Dolack, 2018
E
Debra Magpie Earling, 2015
Becky Eiker, 2005
Judy Ericksen, 2003
F
LaDonna Fehlberg, 1983
Robert Fehlberg, 1983
Arlynn Fishbaugh, 2020
Edith Freeman, 1993
Donna Forbes, 2010
Fort Peck Summer Theater and Fort Peck Fine Arts Council, 1999
Eric Funk, 2001
G
Jack Gladstone, 2016
A.B. Guthrie, Jr., 1982
H
James Haughey, 1981
Hawthorne School, 2005
Walter Hook, 1985
J
Elmer Jakab, 1999
Dorothy Johnson, 1983
Gordon Johnson, 2015
Isabelle Johnson, 1983
K
Oshanee (Agnes) Kenmille, 2001
William Kittredge, 1985
L
Ed Lahey, 2008
John Lester, 1986
Neal and Karen Lewing, 2016
Myrna Loy, 1989
Stan Lynde, 1983
M
Norman Maclean, 1987
Arnie Malina, 1997
Gordon McConnell, 2020
Thomas McGuane, 1989
Wally McRae, 1989
Terry Melton, 1991
Missoula Art Museum, 2015
Missoula Children's Theatre, 1987
Montana Institute of the Arts, 1993
Montana Power Company, 1999
Montana Repertory Theatre, 1983
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, 1991
Mary E. Moore, 1997
Robert F. Morgan, 2001
Jo-Anne Mussulman, 1999
Dr. Joseph Mussulman, 1999
N
David Nelson, 1999
Rick Newby, 2016
P
Christopher Parkening, 1987
Jackie Parsons (Eck Skim Aue Kee), 2018
Myrna Paulus, 2001
Ralph Paulus, 2001
Eewokso - Ernie Pepion, 2005
Lyndon Fayne Pomeroy, 1991
James Poor, 1985
Q
Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith, 2018
R
Amy Ragsdale, 2010
James Kenneth Ralston, 1984
Bernie Rasmusson, 1981
Kevin Red Star, 2018
Kelly Roberti, 2010
Mary Agnes Roberts, 1991
S
Joseph S. Sample, 1997
Miriam Sample, 1997
Robert Scriver, 1990
Gary Schildt, 1999
Sculpture In the Wild, 2020
Edmund Sedivy, 1993
Frances Senska, 1988
David Shaner, 1989
Kevin Shannon, 1987
Annick Smith, 2018
Jaune Quick-To-See Smith, 2018
Michael Smuin, 1981
Harold Sprague, 1985
Virginia Sprague, 1985
Benjamin Steele, 1992
Shirley Steele, 1992
William Stockton, 2003
T
John Talbot, 1994
Susan Talbot, 1994
U
US WEST Foundation, 1989
V
Agnes Vanderburg, 1983
Allen Vizzutti, 2008
Willem Volkersz, 2020
Peter Voulkos, 1985
W
Theodore Waddell, 2015
James Welch, 1981
Larry D. William, 2003
M.J. Williams, 2016
Pat Williams, 2010
Jessie Wilber, 1988
Y
Yellowstone Art Museum, 1995
Thomas Yellowtail, 1993
Z
Paul Zarzyski, 2005
Patrick Zentz, 2016