Honoring Missouri’s 2025 Arts Champions
By Elizabeth Snell
For over 40 years, the Missouri Arts Council and the State of Missouri have recognized the individuals, organizations, and communities whose contributions have transformed the state’s cultural landscape. Selected from public nominations by an independent panel of arts representatives, this year’s awardees demonstrate the diversity and vibrancy of Missouri’s arts sector.
Read more about Missouri Arts Council’s honorees whose work enriches and strengthens our communities and inspires us all.
You can also join the celebration at the Missouri State Capitol on February 5, 2025, for a ceremony honoring this year’s honorees. Watch the Missouri Arts Councils’ website for more information.
Meet the 2025 Honorees
Arts Education: Springfield Regional Arts Council
The Springfield Regional Arts Council (SRAC) provides arts education as a crucial part of its services to 27 counties in southwest Missouri. SRAC partners with schools, community groups, and teaching artists for its year-round Growing Up in the Arts for at-risk students in grades K-8. In addition, SRAC supports Missouri teachers with the annual two-day Springfield Regional Arts Integration Conference.
Arts Organization: St. Louis Art Fair
Held annually since 1994, the St. Louis Art Fair is one of the premiere art fairs in the country. About 200 artists, from emerging talents to established stars, bring a diverse array of art forms to over 130,000 people. The fair also showcases Missouri performing artists, involves children in hands-on experiences, and partners with other nonprofits to further impact the local economy and the community.
Creative Community: City of Mexico
The mid-Missouri city of Mexico abounds with arts for all ages. Presser Arts Center is a hub for performances and education. Missouri Military Academy produces many free concerts. There are studios, shops, museums, historic sites, and annual festivals such as Walk Back in Time. Many programs are largely produced by volunteers, strengthening the community’s deep personal connection with the arts.
Individual Artist | Karen E. Griffin, Kansas City
Karen E. Griffin is an art quilter and certified national and international storyteller. She tells stories of African American experiences not only in her performances but in her quilts, weaving in symbols and materials such as traditional African cottons. Since her first solo exhibition in 2020, she has participated in 41 solo and group exhibitions as well as 28 educational workshops, presentations, and special events.
Leadership in the Arts: Sue Greenberg, St. Louis
With her encouragement, passion, and expertise, Sue Greenberg has played a crucial role in Missouri’s creative economy as the executive director of St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA) since 1986. VLAA provides services to artists and arts organizations not only in St. Louis but statewide, from free legal and accounting assistance to affordable educational programs.
Philanthropy: Alex and Robin LaBrunerie, Columbia
Alex and Robin LaBrunerie have upheld the arts in mid-Missouri for decades with their financial support and volunteer service, from collecting works by local artists to leading fundraising galas. Among the many organizations to which they contribute are Access Arts, Mareck Center for Dance, Missouri Symphony, Ragtag Film Society, and the University of Missouri’s Museum of Art and Archaeology.
Join Us in Celebrating Missouri’s Arts Legacy
With these 43rd annual awards, the Missouri Arts Awards have now honored 255 individuals, organizations, and communities that have left a lasting mark on Missouri’s artistic and cultural heritage.
Header image: Our Family Reunion in America, quilt by Karen E. Griffin, 2025 Individual Artist honoree. Image courtesy of the Missouri Arts Council.