It is September, and that means it is time for our annual Art Spark Texas Artist of the Year Awards celebration - when we come together as artists and advocates to lift up the voices of artists from across Texas. By joining together in the belief that creativity is inherently human, we create a powerful movement that supports inclusive arts - in all of it's forms - for all.
In 2025, we are celebrating another stellar group of artists from a wide spectrum of abilities and disciplines, including visual art, music, dance, writing, and filmmaking! This year, we are also launching our newest award, the Creative Veteran Service Award, honoring a veteran whose desire to continue their service is transforming their community through their art.
Our first award, the Haven Street-Allen Artist of the Year, was conceived in 2017 as a way to honor a Board Member whose vision and clarity of purpose helped guide the organization through difficult times. Quickly realizing that there are many artists in our orbit who are deserving of recognition, we have added to the nomination process until today, when we honor artists in six unique categories, each inspired by a facet of an Art Spark program and named for a person or ideal that we hold dear.
Please join us in honoring the 2025 Art Spark Texas Artists of the Year!
The Haven Street-Allen Artist of the Year Award honors an individual whose work affirms that the power of an artistic spirit, combined with determination and will, can influence and shape our society.
John Bramblitt destroys disability myths through the power of his visual art, and has brought joy and community to thousands of people around the world through his murals, social media events, inclusive workshops, and the delightfully unique Bramblitt’s Yellow Dog Art Bar and Gallery, a fixture of the arts scene in Denton, Texas.
The Lynn Marie Johnson Media Arts Award honors an artist who displays passion and commitment to the promotion and awareness of people with disabilities in our digital world.
Matthew Alaniz champions disability visibility with humor and wit through his films that reflect the everyday lived experience of disability. Case in point, his genre-bending, Texas-based, disability themed horror film, currently in production.
The SPARK Award honors an up-and-coming artist who represents the inclusive, arts-inspired world that Art Spark Texas works to create every day.
Zachary LaViola challenges deeply embedded assumptions about the creative potential of individuals with complex disabilities. Music is his first language; how he connects, communicates, and contributes to the world and people around him.
The Gloria Bond Creative Aging Award honors an older artist who continues to express their creativity and/or demonstrates a willingness to explore new art forms as they age.
Gladys Keeton exemplifies the idea that dance keeps you young. Although officially retired, she continues to teach classes, volunteer at conferences, mentor local Dancing With the Stars competitors, and inspire generations of dance instructors to do their best work both in and out of the classroom.
The Creative Veterans Service Award honors a Texas Veteran who carries the mission forward through a creative act or series of activities in service to the greater community.
Joel Colosimo, Army Veteran, fosters a culture of inclusion and creativity by empowering his students of all abilities to find and develop their artistic voice. His artistic curiosity and willingness to try new forms have encouraged others to do the same, sparking a culture of innovation and appreciation for the arts across the Waco ISD district.
The Director’s Commendation is a discretionary award honoring an artist whose work shines a light on the inclusive mission of Art Spark Texas.
Spirit Thom embodies poetry as the universal food of life. His daily poems shine a light on the beauty of our natural world, while reflecting on current events to remind us of our fragile but powerful humanity.
Join us at the awards celebration on Sunday, September 21, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Rollins Theater, Long Center, in Austin, Texas.
Register here for more information. https://tinyurl.com/bddpnacr
Love how Art Spark Texas celebrates creativity and community. If you’d like to try a hands-on art experience, join our Turkish mosaic lamp workshops across the U.S.: https://www.pedalisaart.com