The Missouri Arts Council has chosen the recipients of the 2026 Missouri Arts Awards, the state’s highest honor in the arts.
The 2026 Missouri Arts Awards recipients are the Community Music School of Webster University, St. Louis, for arts education; City in Motion Dance Theater, Kansas City, for arts organization; City of West Plains for creative community; Ray Harvey, New Haven, for individual artist; Erin Warner Prange, St. Louis, for leadership in the arts; and David and Thelma Steward, St. Louis, for philanthropy.
“The arts tell the story of who we are as Missourians,” said Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger. “These honorees remind us that creativity isn’t confined to one city or stage — it’s alive in classrooms, small towns, and communities across our state. We’re proud to celebrate their work and the lasting impact they’ve made on Missouri’s cultural life.”
Including these 44th annual awards, the Missouri Arts Awards have since 1983 acclaimed 262 people, organizations, and communities throughout the state for their significant contributions to Missouri’s artistic and cultural legacy. The 2026 honorees will be recognized in a ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol on February 4, 2026.
An independent panel of Missourians from the statewide arts community selected the honorees from public nominations.
Arts Education | Community Music School of Webster University, St. Louis
One of the premier music schools in the country, the Community Music School (CMS) of Webster University has provided comprehensive music education for an entire century. Every year CMS serves about 1,200 students across all skill levels, young children through adults. The programs include individual lessons, group classes, chamber music ensembles, two full orchestras, summer camps and more. CMS amplifies its impact through awarding scholarships, partnering with public and private school systems, performing free concerts, and visiting nursing homes, cultural institutions, and community centers.
Arts Organization | City in Motion Dance Theater, Kansas City
Founded in 1985, City in Motion Dance Theater, Inc. is the longest running contemporary dance company in Kansas City. City in Motion builds bridges in the community with its professional company, dance school, outreach program, and performance series that includes the free “Dance in the Park” each fall. Its mission is “to create dance opportunities for everyBODY in Kansas City.” Over the past five years City in Motion has increasingly collaborated with social service agencies to provide free classes to high-risk people such as survivors of domestic violence and students who are visually impaired.
Creative Community | City of West Plains
The arts are crucial to the identity and growth of West Plains, the commercial and cultural hub of south central Missouri. Creative businesses and special events from First Thursday Downtown Strolls to the annual Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival make for a vibrant location for residents and a year-round destination for tourists. Teamwork among the city government, West Plains Downtown Revitalization Inc., West Plains Council on the Arts, Missouri State University–West Plains, civic and service organizations, and the business community ensures that the arts are embedded in the long-term strategy for the city’s vitality.
Individual Artist | Ray Harvey, New Haven
Painter Ray Harvey is often called “Missouri’s Small Town Muralist.” Since 1990 he has transformed more than 600 indoor and outdoor blank walls, mostly in Missouri, into works of art. He has created so many murals in Hannibal—25 so far—that in 2023 the mayor gave him the key to the city. This past summer his eight huge outdoor murals in Concordia lead to the city’s being designated by the Missouri legislature as the state’s official Patriotic Mural City. Ray Harvey works with community organizations, local governments, businesses, individual donors and more to bring art to people who otherwise have little chance to enjoy it.
Leadership in the Arts | Erin Warner Prange, St. Louis
As executive director of Saint Louis Dance Theatre (STLDT) since 2012, Erin Warner Prange has painstakingly built this contemporary dance company from a modest local troupe to a $1.2 million operation serving people across Missouri and beyond. Performances include both major productions and community shows. The education program offers classes to adults as well as nationally recognized training for pre-professional dancers. Senior Embrace brings dance to 25-30 retirement homes every year. Partnerships beyond traditional arts boundaries extend STLDT’s community impact even more.
Philanthropy | David and Thelma Steward, St. Louis
David and Thelma Steward’s commitment to improving lives and transforming communities spans more than four decades. They have combined their investment of time and talent with millions of dollars in donations. They support every variety of art from music and dance to cinema and literature. Among the host of organizations and programs to which they have been and continue to be indispensable are jazz education at the University of Missouri, Evolution Festival of music, The Black Rep, Center of Creative Arts, The Muny, Saint Louis Ballet, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Sheldon, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
