HONORING THE PEOPLE WHO MOVE ARIZONA FORWARD

The Arizona Creative Excellence Awards celebrates the people, organizations, and public leaders who shape Arizona’s creative future, building on more than 40 years of statewide recognition through the Governor’s Arts Awards.

A 40 Year History of

​Recognition

Since 1981, the Governor’s Arts Awards have stood as Arizona’s flagship statewide honor for artists, arts organizations, businesses, educators, and advocates whose passion and creativity shape our cultural landscape.

Each year, nominations from communities across the state culminated in a celebratory event where finalists and honorees were recognized for their outstanding contributions. We have celebrated more than 225 awardees over the past four decades.

I​n 2006, the program expanded to include The Shelley Award, named after former Arizona Commission on the Arts Executive Director Shelley Cohn, honoring visionary leaders who advance arts-friendly public policy in Arizona.
In 2023, Arizona Citizens for the Arts reimagined the celebration as the Arizona Creative Excellence Awards, carrying forward the Governor’s Arts Awards while spotlighting the broader creative economy and drawing nominations from more than 20 communities statewide. A successful 2023 showcase built on this legacy, blending tradition with new experiences to celebrate the people and organizations that make Arizona’s arts and culture thrive.

​The 2023 awards also introduced the Oonagh Award, named for the late philanthropist Oonagh Boppart, honoring individuals and organizations pursuing innovative collaboration in the community, as well as the Arts Champion Awards, honoring elected officials with a demonstrated a strong commitment to arts and culture advocacy. 

The deadline to receive nominations is March 20, 2026

2026 STATEWIDE AWARDS

​The Oonagh Award
Named for arts leader and philanthropist Oonagh Boppart, the Oonagh Award celebrates individuals or organizations that exemplify the power of innovative collaboration. Honorees bring together artistic disciplines, community partners, and cross-sector collaborators to create work that has meaningful, lasting impact. Inspired by Oonagh’s legacy of convening leaders and fostering connection, this award recognizes creative partnerships that build stronger, more interconnected cultural communities across Arizona.
The Shelley Award
The Shelley Award recognizes individuals whose long-standing leadership and public advocacy have advanced Arizona’s arts and culture ecosystem in profound and enduring ways. Named for Shelley Cohn, former Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the award honors those who have shaped public policy, sustained cultural heritage, engaged communities, and left a transformative imprint on the creative economy. It is one of Arizona’s highest honors for lifetime service to the arts.
Past Shelley Award Recipients
  • Cindy Ornstein - 2023 - Mesa
  • Maribel Alvarez - 2021 - Tucson
  • Rusty Foley & Bob Booker - 2020 - Phoenix
  • Joanie Flatt - 2019 - Scottsdale
  • Alberto Rios - 2018 - Tempe
  • Founders Group - 2017 
  • David Saar - 2016 - Tempe
  • Marilyn & Roy; Harry & Rose Papp - 2015 - Paradise Valley
  • Drs. John P & Helen S. Schaefer - 2014 - Tucson
  • James Ballinger - 2013 - Phoenix
  • Darryl Dobras - 2012 - Tucson
  • Bill Shepard and Carolyn Allen - 2011 - Phoenix and Scottsdale
  • Shirley Chann - 2010 - Tucson
  • Gerry Murphy - 2009 - Phoenix
  • Dennis Kavanaugh - 2008 - Mesa
  • Sam Campana - 2007 - Scottsdale
  • Shelley Cohn - 2006 - Phoenix
​The Governor’s Award
The Governor’s Award recognizes an Arizona arts organization whose work demonstrates outstanding cultural leadership, community impact, and alignment with statewide arts values and traditionally less recognized than more established organizations. Nominees are drawn from current Arizona Commission on the Arts grant recipients and reviewed by a panel of state agency staff and community stakeholders, with the final selection of the recipient made personally by the Governor. Presented at our event by the Governor, the award honors organizations whose programs strengthen cultural heritage, expand creative opportunity, and serve their communities with excellence.
The Arts Champion Award
The Arts Champion Award honors elected officials who demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing Arizona’s creative economy. Recipients are public servants who champion arts and culture through policy development, funding support, community engagement, and sustained advocacy—working to build environments where creativity can thrive and benefit all Arizonans. Any elected official in Arizona is eligible for this award, and honorees are selected by a statewide judging panel.