TEACH • LEARN • ADVOCATE • CONNECT

Awards

After reading more about the awards and the nomination process below, click here to begin the nomination process.

Providing Opportunities to:

Recognize excellence in the many outstanding members of the TAEA organization.
Collect attentions on quality art education throughout Texas.
Advocate the standard of quality art education throughout the state of Texas.
Develop support of those individuals who deliberately provide quality art education consistently in Texas.
Provide tangible evidence of ongoing achievements in art programs statewide.
Earn collegial respect within divisions and professional learning communities.

TAEA strives to honor our hard working membership through recognition of their continued efforts and significant achievements in art education at the local, state, regional, and national level.

2027 Timeline Overview

Please refer to The Process below for specific on how the nomination process works.

February 20 — Award Nominations Deadline
March 1 — Headshot, Bio, and Resume Due from Nominees
Mid-March — Executive Board Selects Nominees to Move Forward
April 30 — Nominee Applications Due with all required documentation and letters of recommendation
June 25 — Award Recipients Selected and Notified
Conference (Friday's General Session) — Award Recipients Honored

Award Categories

Yearly, at the state conference, the Awards are presented in each of these categories:

Texas Art Educator of the Year

Awarded to one TAEA member who has significantly contributed to the association and to art education on the state, local and / or national levels. Individuals will be honored for each of these awards once.

Division Outstanding Art Educator Awards

Awarded to one TAEA member from each division (Elementary, Middle School / Junior High, Senior High, Higher Education, Museum Education, Supervision / Administration, Art Education Student) who has significantly contributed to the association and to art education on the state, local and / or national levels. Please check ONE DIVISION ONLY on the TAEA Awards Nomination Form. Nominees must currently be employed in the appropriate division and must have worked at the level for at least two (2) years. Individuals will be honored for each of these awards once.

National Art Honor Society Sponsor Award

Awarded to an NAHS Sponsor for sponsoring an Exemplary National Art Honor Society Chapter OR an NJAHS Sponsor for sponsoring an Exemplary National Jr. Art Honor Society Chapter. Supporting evidence of achievements must be provided: letter of nomination, newsletters, photographs, and / or written records. Individuals will be honored for each of these awards once.

TAEA also desires to recognize those non-members who through their extensive and continued support efforts make our Art Education experiences the best possible for students in Texas.

TAEA School Principal of the Year Award

Awarded to one non-TAEA member of an Elementary, Middle School / Junior High School or Senior High in the state of Texas. The principal should have demonstrated unusual support for art education and for the visual arts. Supporting evidence of achievements must be provided: letter of nomination, newsletters, photographs, and / or written records. Individuals will be honored for each of these awards once.

Friend(s) of Art Education Award

Awarded to non-TAEA members (School Board Members, Superintendents, Administrators, Principals, Supply Dealers, Publishers, Advocates, and Others) who have significantly contributed to the association and to art education on the state, local and / or national levels. Letter of recommendation and supporting evidence must be provided: letter of nomination, newsletters, photographs, and / or written records. Individuals will be honored for each of these awards once.

TAEA may honor an individual only once in each category, although appreciates that the efforts of that individual are ongoing and ever growing continuously in their division or career placement. An individual can be honored again in a different division or area.

The Process

Who can nominate?
Any TAEA member may nominate someone in any category to the Awards Committee for consideration. Nominators may make several nominations for awards, but not multiples in a specific category.

Who is eligible for an award?
Any TAEA member who has held their placement for at least two years can be recognized as the Honoree in their Division. Any Friend of Art or Principal of the year does not need to be a member of TAEA to be eligible for these awards.

When do I nominate?
Nominations open following the fall conference each year. The nomination deadline is Saturday, February 20, 2027. Supporting materials from the nominee (high-res headshot, bio, and resume) are due by Monday, March 1, 2027. Additional nominee materials (letters of recommendation, etc.) are due by Friday, April 30, 2027.

Where do I nominate?
Submit your nominations here.

How do I nominate?
Select a deserving person who you would like to see recognized for their accomplishments in art education. Complete the nomination form with all contact information for your nominee between Thursday, November 12, 2026 and Saturday, February 20, 2027.

Who can give me additional information?
The Awards Committee Chair can answer your questions. Please contact Natalie Stotts at .

The Committee

Who serves on the Awards committee?
The committee is comprised of a chairman, who is named by the TAEA President for a two-year term. Subsequent terms may be continued at the discretion of each new TAEA President. The committee contains all Executive Board members, and at least two TAEA fellows. Finally, all remaining committee members are selected from throughout TAEA, from those members who show leadership initiative, and may be currently serving in a leadership capacity for TAEA. All areas of the state are equally represented.

How are awardees decided upon?
Nominees are all asked to submit a high-res headshot (no filters, no cropping), their CV/resume, and their bio — due on or before Monday, March 1, 2027. After this deadline closes, the executive board will approve nominees at this point. All nominees that are moving forward will be notified, and their additional information (supporting documents, short educational philosophy, letters of recommendation, etc) are due on or before Friday, April 30, 2027. The Awards Committee will review all nominations with supporting documents and make a selection in each category or division of award. Ballots are submitted to the Awards Chairman, and nominees and awardees will be notified of the ballot results by the last Friday in June.

The Honors

When are the awards presented?
The awards presentation takes place during the first general session of the TAEA Fall Conference.

When are the awards publicized?
Press releases will be sent to the honorees and their supervisors by October 1, announcing their upcoming award ceremony at the state conference. Awardees are celebrated during the first General Session of the conference. Award recipients are published to TAEA's membership via the Winter edition of the TAEA Star following the conference.

What are the expectations of the honorees?
Honorees will be requested to attend the first general session of the conference to receive their award. Honorees who are also NAEA members may automatically be nominated by an Executive Board member to the NAEA awards program the following year. All nomination submissions to NAEA must be complete by October 1 of the year following the TAEA Award receipt.

Are there any perks that come with the Honor?
The honor bestowed upon the individual, and the award received at the presentation is what TAEA currently offers. A reception honoring the awards recipients is a decision made by each Executive Council individually for each conference event. No stipends or honorariums are attached to these honors, as this is a service based organization, not for profit.