New cultural enhancements, Abilene Art Award winners will be announced at Celebrate the Arts Luncheon
/OCT 15, 2025 - The Abilene Cultural Affairs Council will host the annual Celebrate the Arts in Abilene luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the ACU Hunter Welcome Center. The program will begin about 12 p.m. today.
About 350 people are expected to attend. Included in the festivities will be costumed characters and major announcements about further enhancements to the Abilene Cultural District – Phase Two and grand opening of the Clear Fork Bank Storybook Garden with Winnie-the-Pooh and friends and their 100 Acre Wood!
This luncheon combines the HeARTS for the ARTS membership drive and the 2025 Abilene Art Awards. The awards honor outstanding volunteers for local arts groups. In addition, the ACAC will present the Outstanding Individuals of the Year Award to Jay and Nancy Capra for their contributions to the arts. The Outstanding Business of the Year Award will go to Parkhill, which have been wonderful promoters and supporters of our new Clear Fork Bank Storybook Garden and other initiatives over the years.
HeARTS for the ARTS grant recipients will be recognized. Grants are given for local arts programming for children and special populations. In the last fiscal year, the ACAC has invested $166,450 in HeARTS grants and Community & Visitor Development Grants that enrich our community.
Costumed characters and table decorations will reflect the 2026 Children’s Art + Literacy Festival celebrating the Art of Winnie-the-Pooh!
2025 ABILENE ART AWARD WINNERS
Lisa Kinsey, Abilene Ballet Theatre
Dawne Swearingen-Meeks, Abilene Christian University Theatre
Rickey and Sandra Carey, Abilene Community Band
Holli Delp, Abilene Community Theatre
Barbara Moore, Abilene Performing Arts Company (APAC)
Frank Johnson, Abilene Philharmonic Association
Carolyn Dycus, Abilene Writers Guild
Jim Barlow, Abilene Zoological Society
Jamie Breed, Celebration Singers
Peggy Shepherd, Center for Contemporary Arts
Debbie Langford, Children’s Art + Literacy Festival
Kristy Waldraff, Children’s Performing Arts Series
Dona Morgan, Chorus Abilene
Jodi Frizzell, Cisco College
Suzanne Melbourne, Friends of the Library
Derek Hood, Frontier Texas!
Rosie Esparza, Hearts in Harmony
Mike and Marsha Hill, Historic Paramount Theatre
Meghan Martin, Junior League of Abilene
Abbie Ryan Randolph, Mesquite Storytellers
Lisa Murphy, National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature
Pat McCleskey, The Grace Museum
Paige Sproles, Young Audiences of Abilene
Outstanding Individuals of the Year: Jay and Nancy Capra
Outstanding Business of the Year: Parkhill
