Texas Cultural Trust Announces First Group of Honorees for Tenth Biennial Texas Medal of Arts Awards

by Texas Cultural Trust

“These honorees exemplify the rich tradition that we at the Texas Cultural Trust have built our organization on,” said Texas Cultural Trust Executive Director Heidi Marquez Smith. “We are thrilled to recognize each of their powerful contributions at our tenth biennial event and look forward to seeing their work continue to shape the future of the arts in Texas and beyond,” she continued.

Since 2001, the TMAA have celebrated 108 Texas leaders and luminaries who have achieved excellence through their creative talents, as well as those whose generosity has opened doors to artistic opportunity for Texans of all ages. As the signature fundraising event of the Texas Cultural Trust, the TMAA spotlight the power of the arts to improve children’s education, preserve the unique and proud culture of Texas, and stimulate the state’s economy. “I am grateful to be recognized by the Texas Cultural Trust with a Texas Medal of Arts Award. Having grown up in Longview, TX; I am honored to receive an award from an organization whose focus is to advocate for equitable access to arts education for students across the state. I hope my work and the work that they do continue to make a difference in the lives of young people everywhere.” said Brandon Maxwell, fashion designer and 2019 Texas Medal of Arts Awards recipient for Design.

Past TMAA honorees have included Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Dan Rather, Neiman Marcus, H-E-B, Margaret McDermott, Tommy Lee Jones, Bob Schieffer, Debbie Allen, Robert Rodriguez, Walter Cronkite, Lawrence Wright, Sandra Cisneros, Lyle Lovett, Texas Monthly, and Exxon Mobil, among others.

The 2019 TMAA are co-chaired by Leslie Blanton, dedicated philanthropist and champion of numerous arts programs and charitable organizations, and Leslie Ward, senior vice president of legislative affairs and corporate external affairs at AT&T.