AUSTIN, Texas — Texas has a lot to be proud of, and that includes its artists and creatives.
The 10th biennial Texas Medal of Arts Awards honored 11 Texas luminaries and organizations for their contributions to the arts.
Here are all the 2019 Texas Medal of Arts Awards honorees:
Film: Matthew McConaughey, Austin
Music: Boz Scaggs, Plano
Design: Brandon Maxwell, Longview
Literary Arts: Stephen Harrigan, Austin
Architecture: Elaine Molinar, El Paso, and Craig Dykers, San Antonio
Arts Education: Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts, Laredo
Multimedia: Mark Seliger, Houston
Visual Arts: Trenton Doyle Hancock, Houston
Music Ensemble: Conspirare, Austin
Theatre: Jennifer Holliday, Houston
On Wednesday, February 27, the honorees were recognized at and awards show and gala dinner at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
“Our honorees may not be household names in the general public, but they're extremely well known within that field, and I think it's our responsibility to bring that awareness to our entire state because we have a lot to be proud of,” said Heidi Marquez Smith, executive director for the Texas Cultural Trust.
Although McConaughey is probably the most recognizable name, all the honorees have a made their own mark on the art world.
Brandon Maxwell is best known for dressing stars like Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama, but he credits his time at St. Edward's University in Austin for making him the designer he is today.
“I was not academically inclined until St. Edward’s and then I was on the dean's list,” Maxwell said. “It was a special place because I think they really fostered my talent and help pulled talent out of me.”
In addition to his fashion brand, he’s now a judge on the TV show Project Runway on Bravo.
Boz Scaggs has been in the music industry for years and says it's great to be back in the city that launched his career.
“This is my home state so I'm really proud this is where I started, and it's nice after a lifetime of work and a lot of here and there to be back home and participate in this organization.” Skaggs said.
Nominated in the field of literature is Stephen Harrigan. He is a novelist, journalist and screenwriter. Among his 11 books of fiction and nonfiction, he may be best known for the New York Times bestseller, The Gates of the Alamo.
“I've published a lot of books and magazine articles, and the key to success as a writer is to keep up your morale, don't be discouraged and just keep ahead of it,” Harrigan said.
The event is put on by the The Texas Cultural Trust, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to be the leading voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of Texas.
