TWA Champion of the Arts
Champion of the Arts Award
The Donna Axum Whitworth Champion of the Arts Award recognizes a Texas Women for the Arts member who has made significant contributions to the arts, statewide, and whose work has embodied the mission and vision of the organization.
Our 2024 Champion of the Arts: Linda LaMantia
Linda LaMantia is a civic leader and artist from Laredo, Texas. Linda joined the Texas Cultural Trust Board of Directors in 2011, served as Chair of the Trust from 2017 to 2019, and Co-Chaired the Texas Medal of Arts in 2021 and 2023. She is currently the Chair of the Texas Women for the Arts. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Linda is very involved in supporting and promoting the arts and education. Linda, in conjunction with her family, provides scholarships to students seeking to obtain their dream of a higher education through the STARS Scholarship Foundation, awarding over $39 million since 2003. Linda is the Past Chair of the Texas A&M PAC and serves on the Dean’s Development Council of the Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts College at Texas A&M. She also serves on several local boards in her community, including the Daphne Foundation. Linda and her husband, Steve, have five daughters and nine precious grandchildren, with her tenth due in July