2025 GAA Nomination EXTENDED Deadline: January 31, 2025
Award Categories:
FOLKLIFE HERITAGE AWARD
Presented to folk artists or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to Tennessee’s traditional arts. The award honors significant achievements within art forms that are rooted in the traditional or ethnic cultures of Tennessee.
ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD
Presented to individuals or organizations who have demonstrated significant contributions that have impacted or advanced the value of the arts in Tennessee. Examples of recipients include educators, arts organizations, businesses, patrons, arts administrators, corporations, and volunteers.
DISTINGUISHED ARTIST AWARD
Presented to Tennessee artists of exceptional talent and creativity in any discipline whose work has significant and lasting impact on a state or national level.
Nomination Process
- The nomination form should be completed online or the form can be printed and returned to the Tennessee Arts Commission by mail.
- The form must be completed with all required information, see below for details.
- The items supplied with the nomination form are expected to clearly represent how the nominee meets the criteria for the award category which he/she is being nominated for.
- Nominations may be submitted by organizations or individuals.
- Organizations or individual(s) may only submit one nomination per award category.
- Nominees for a Governor’s Arts Award must be a Tennessee organization or an individual living in or with close ties to Tennessee. No awards will be presented posthumously.
- Previous recipients are not eligible for the 2025 Governor’s Arts Awards. See a complete list here.
Required Information
The nomination form and required information is expected to be a clear representation of the nominee’s strengths and contributions to the arts in Tennessee and should reflect why the individual, organization, community, or business is being nominated for a specific category.
How to apply:
- Complete the online nomination form or download the form and complete with Acrobat Reader and print a hard copy.
- If completing online, upload the documents below when prompted.
- If mailing, submit the hard copies of the following documents with the printed form and mail to:
Governor’s Arts Awards Committee
Tennessee Arts Commission
401 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37243-0780
Please provide, in the following order:
1. Narrative – Provide a double-spaced narrative of no more than three pages detailing the nominee’s contribution to the arts in a specific award category and why the individual, organization, community, or business merits consideration for a Governor’s Arts Award.
2. Letters of Support – Provide at least three, but no more than five current letters of support for each nomination. Support letters should provide the selection committee with important testimonies and additional information about your nominee. Letters may be written by colleagues, board members, community leaders, educators, etc. Support letters MUST be included in the online form or in the nomination package with the above information and should not be mailed under separate cover.
Selection Process
• In addition to the review of submitted information, the selection committee may seek diversity in geographical and/or artistic discipline when recommending awards
• Recipients will be notified by the Tennessee Arts Commission in the spring/summer of 2025.
• Recipients are selected by an inter-board committee.
For more information about the nomination or selection process, please contact Christa Abernathy.
