The Sally Awards

Honoring Minnesotans in the arts since 1992

The Sally Awards recognize and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of artists, educators, volunteers, philanthropists, and leaders who strengthen and enrich the stage of Minnesota with their commitment to the arts and arts education.

Since 1992, the Sally Awards have honored individuals and institutions that strengthen and enrich our entire state with their commitment to the arts and arts education. The awardees’ talents and determination help enrich Minnesota’s unique culture and quality of life.

The Sally Award is based on the “First Trust Award” presented in 1986 to Sally Ordway Irvine, whose initiative, vision, and commitment inspired the creation of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Her award is permanently installed in the Ordway’s Target Atrium.

27th annual Sally Awards recipients. Photo by Laura Alpizar.

26th annual Sally Awards recipients. Photo by Dan Norman.

25th annual Sally Awards recipients. Photo by Laura Alpizar.

24th annual Sally Awards recipients. Photo by Rich Ryan.

Nominations

The Sally Awards follow a nomination and committee-based selection process. Individuals, organizations, or businesses can submit nominations. Recipients are then selected by a committee composed of representatives from the arts and culture community, arts education, past award recipients, the Ordway, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. This group engages in a thoughtful and thorough review process to determine the awardees. The Arts Legacy Award operates outside the standard nomination process, with recipients chosen directly by the Ordway’s leadership team.

Nominations for the 2025 Sally Awards will be accepted through August 1, 2025. Winners will be announced virtually in January 2026.

Individuals or organizations may be nominated or may nominate themselves.
Individuals must be full-time residents of Minnesota, and organizations must be based in and serve Minnesota.
The work for which individuals and/or organizations are being nominated must have taken place in Minnesota and serve Minnesotans.
Previous recipients are ineligible to be awarded again.
Employees of an organization that have been awarded in the past may be eligible if they are nominated for efforts outside of their employment that are unrelated to the ineligible organization.
There is no age criterion for nominees.
Posthumous nominations are accepted.
The Selection Committee members may also nominate others for this award.
Current Ordway and Minnesota State Arts Board employees are not eligible to be nominated but may nominate others.
Winners will be personally notified. The names of those nominating will not be made public.

27th annual Sally Awards performance. Photo by Laura Alpizar.

Submit a nomination for the 2025 Sally Awards

Award categories

Each year, one person or organization is honored in each of five categories. Winners receive an award and $1,500 each.

Arts Access

Recognizing extraordinary efforts that make the arts accessible to all Minnesotans, regardless of economic, geographic, or demographic barriers.

Arts Learning

Honoring those who provide exceptional arts education opportunities and contribute to the growth and development of future artists and arts enthusiasts.

Arts Leadership

Celebrating individuals or organizations whose artistic excellence and steadfast leadership make significant contributions to their communities and the broader arts landscape.

Arts Vision

Recognizing creative visionaries whose bold ideas and innovative spirit create transformative arts experiences.

Arts Legacy*

Honoring extraordinary individuals or organizations whose enduring contributions have profoundly impacted the arts and community.

*The Arts Legacy Award operates outside the standard nomination process, with recipients chosen directly by the Ordway’s leadership team.

At the Sally Awards' inception, the Awards were presented annually to acknowledge achievement and contribution in the three areas for which Sally herself was recognized: Vision, Initiative, and Commitment. A fourth category, Education, was added in 1996 to acknowledge the importance of education in nurturing a passion for the arts in future generations.

In 2010, another category was added to complement the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s focus on engaging more people in the arts. The Arts Access category recognizes the importance of increasing access and citizen participation in the arts.

As Minnesota’s arts communities evolve in response to the dynamics of society, The Sally Awards also evolved. In 2018, the Social Impact category was created to recognize the powerful role of art in raising awareness on important social issues and affecting social change. The Initiative and Vision categories were combined to maintain the same number of categories and in response to feedback. Finally, the category of Education was renamed Arts Learning.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the Sally Awards relaunched with the following categories:

Arts Access
Arts Learning
Arts Leadership (formerly Initiative)
Arts Vision (combining elements of Social Impact and Commitment)
Arts Legacy (a new category that will be selected by Ordway leadership outside of the traditional nomination process)

This refreshed set of categories keeps the Sally Awards nimble and focused, while making room to recognize those whose lasting contributions truly define Minnesota’s arts landscape.

Sally Awards recipients

27th annual Sally Awards

Kao Kalia Yang – Social Impact Saymoukda Vongsay – Initiative Janis Lane-Ewart – Commitment Monkeybear’s Harmolodic Workshop – Arts Learning Lakes Area Music Festival – Arts Access

26th annual Sally Awards

Mizna – Social Impact Maia Maiden – Initiative Gao Hong – Commitment Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop – Arts Learning Washburn Blackbox Acting Program – Arts Access

25th annual Sally Awards

Rhiana Yazzie – Vision Bee Yang – Initiative J. Otis Powell‽ – Commitment † Z Puppets Rosenschnoz – Education Hunter Gullickson – Arts Access

24th annual Sally Awards

Rebecca Moran Cusick of Los Alegres Bailadores – Vision Kyu-Young Kim – Initiative Steven Schmidt – Commitment Reverend Carl Walker and Grant West – Education May Lee Yang – Arts Access

23rd annual Sally Awards

American Composers Forum – Vision Theresa Sweetland – Initiative Cynthia Gehrig – Commitment The Steeles – Education Edge Center for the Arts – Arts Access

22nd annual Sally Awards

Franconia Sculpture Park– Vision Kristine Sorensen – Initiative James Samuel “Cornbread” Harris Sr. – Commitment Lyz Jaakola – Education MacPhail Online – Arts Access

21st annual Sally Awards

Jimmy Longoria – Vision Faye M. Price and Noël Raymond – Initiative Anthony Caponi – Commitment Hillcrest Community School – Education David J. Fraher and Arts Midwest – Arts Access

20th annual Sally Awards

Ta-Coumba T. Aiken – Vision TU Dance – Initiative Kevin Smith – Commitment Ross Sutter – Education Rick Jacobson – Arts Access

19th annual Sally Awards

Michelle Hensley and Ten Thousand Things Theater – Vision Kathy Mouacheupao and the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) – Initiative Willie Murphy – Commitment Anton Treuer – Education Amy Stoller Stearns and the Historic Holmes Theatre/DLCCC – Arts Access (Inaugural)

18th annual Sally Awards

VSA arts of Minnesota – Vision Bedlam Theatre – Initiative Myron Johnson – Commitment T. Mychael Rambo – Education

17th annual Sally Awards

Mixed Blood Theatre – Vision Bruce Coppock – Initiative Wendy Lehr – Commitment St. Francis Music Center – Education

16th annual Sally Awards

Rick Shiomi – Vision Michael Burgraff – Initiative Al Milgrom – Commitment Project SUCCESS – Education

15th annual Sally Awards

Joe Dowling – Vision Hal Cropp – Initiative Dale Schatzlein – Commitment † Arts for Academic Achievement – Education

14th annual Sally Awards

Seitu Jones – Vision Chris Osgood – Initiative Joan Mondale – Commitment SteppingStone Theatre – Education

13th annual Sally Awards

Graywolf Press – Vision Gary Hines – Initiative Leigh Kamman – Commitment Park Square Theatre – Education

12th annual Sally Awards

Dale Warland – Vision BJ Shigaki/Rochester Arts Center – Initiative Bruce Carlson – Commitment Sheila Livingston – Education

11th annual Sally Awards

KFAI Fresh Air Radio – Vision Textile Center of Minnesota – Initiative Lawrence M. Redmond and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts – Commitment MacPhail Center for the Arts – Education

10th annual Sally Awards

Minnesota Fringe Festival – Vision Maya Lopez-Santamaria – Initiative Philip Brunelle – Commitment Pillsbury House Theatre’s Chicago Avenue Project – Education

9th annual Sally Awards

Wing Young Huie – Vision The Loft Literary Center – Initiative Sage and John Cowles, Jr. – Commitment Linwood A+ Elementary School – Education

8th annual Sally Awards

Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris – Vision Rick Kvam – Initiative George Morrison – Commitment Pamela Paulson – Education Carl B. Drake, Jr. – Distinguished (Special Award in 1999)

7th annual Sally Awards

Armando Gutierrez – Vision Marj Hawkins – Initiative Sen. Dick Cohen – Commitment St. Paul Central Touring Theatre Program – Education

6th annual Sally Awards

Theatre de la Jeune Lune – Vision Grand Marais Art Colony – Initiative Elizabeth W. Musser – Commitment John Caddy – Education

5th annual Sally Awards

Dorit Cypis for Kulture Klub – Vision Patrick’s Cabaret – Initiative Judson Bemis Sr. – Commitment Minnesota Rural Arts Initiative: A Program of COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts) – Education (inaugural)

4th annual Sally Awards

John R. Killacky – Vision Intermedia Arts – Initiative In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre – Commitment

3rd annual Sally Awards

Asian American Renaissance – Vision Rebecca Petersen – Initiative Lou Bellamy – Commitment

2nd annual Sally Awards

John Davis – Vision Native Arts Circle – Initiative Topsy Simonson – Commitment

Inaugural Sally Awards

Artspace Projects, Inc. – Vision The Jungle Theater – Initiative Bruce Dayton – Commitment

† Awarded posthumously.