45th Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards Honorees Announced

The Oklahoma Arts Council has announced the names of 14 individuals and four organizations that will be honored for their contributions to the arts during the 45th Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Awards on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

The awards will be presented by Governor J. Kevin Stitt during a special ceremony beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the fourth-floor rotunda at the Oklahoma State Capitol. The ceremony will include a special tribute to former longtime Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Betty Price who passed away in October. A reception will follow in the second-floor rotunda. The event is free and open to the public.

Recipients are selected from submitted nominations by the Governor’s Arts Awards Selection Committee, comprised of members of the Governor-appointed Oklahoma Arts Council board. Chandler’s own Jana Telford is a 2023 Honoree for The Arts in Education Award.  

The Arts in Education Award recognizes an individual, organization, school, educator, or group for their outstanding leadership and service in the arts benefiting youth and/or arts in education. Jana has inspired a love of music and an enthusiasm for the arts among two generations of students who have grown up in the community of Chandler. With a legacy spanning forty years, she is credited with having influenced music education for residents more than any other individual.