The Ozzie Awards
Join us for our annual celebration of the outstanding achievements of the arts and the organizations and individuals who help our artists make a difference in our community.
The 2025 Ozzie Awards will take place at 7 p.m. on October 11 at the Historic Gillioz Theatre in Springfield, MO, bringing together regional artists, arts supporters, creatives, community leaders, and arts enthusiasts.
This annual gala honors the remarkable individuals and organizations who have shaped the artistic landscape of the Ozarks, celebrating not only outstanding artistic achievements but also the time, passion, and commitment of those who enrich our vibrant arts community.
More than just an event, the Ozzies are an invitation to be part of a legacy, celebrating the transformative power of the arts with style, spectacle, and impact while highlighting creativity’s lasting influence on our lives.
Celebrate the Arts at the
Ozzie Awards
Sponsorship opportunities are now open
 
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The Springfield Regional Arts Council’s Ozzie Awards are presented to those who have embodied a pioneering creative spirit on the Springfield Arts scene. The 40th annual Ozzie Awards ceremony will be held for the first time at the Historic Gillioz Theatre. The event is a true celebration of the Springfield arts community, featuring the area’s premier music, dance, and theatre arts organizations. This year’s theme is celebrating the innovation and inspiration of Route 66.Â
The Ozzie Award Categories
Excellence in Arts Education
The Arts Education Award recognizes an individual or organization providing transformational leadership in arts education through strategic initiatives, strong programming and the engagement of partners to achieve our community goals.
Winner
Kat Allie, Excellence in Arts Education winner, serves as Department Chair of Arts, Design & Humanities at Ozarks Technical Community College, leading more than 80 faculty across multiple disciplines. A founding member of the Fine Arts & Humanities team, she shaped inclusive curriculum pathways, established an Associate of Arts in Visual Arts + Design + Art Education, and expanded transferable course offerings. Kat is dedicated to fostering creative confidence and access for all students.
Volunteer of the Year
The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to individuals who have displayed outstanding volunteer service in the community within the last year. There is no set formula or specific criteria for a person to be nominated and it isn’t always a person with many hours or someone who comes in every week. Important qualities for an “outstanding volunteer” include dependability, flexibility, creativity, a positive attitude, kindness and someone who exemplifies the strength of our artistic community.
Winner
Molly Healey, Volunteer of the Year winner, is the founder of Earth Day Springfield Festival, which began in 2022. Molly and a team of volunteers plan the yearly plastic-free music festival to bring the community together through music to raise awareness about sustainability and generate a new revenue for environmental sustainability. In the first four years of the festival, they’ve raised $91,000 for environmental causes.
The Arts Ambassador Award
This award highlights an individual or team that has taken an active role in building a sustainable and thriving ecosystem for the arts in the Ozarks. The recipient is someone who has worked tirelessly to create, promote or support the arts and has made a significant impact on the local arts community.
Winner
Samuel Knox, Arts Ambassador winner, is the publisher and co-founder of UniteNews Magazine, Springfield’s longstanding monthly publication dedicated to informing and empowering African-American and multiracial families across southwest Missouri. For nearly three decades, he has also served as the event planner for the Springfield Multicultural Festival, overseeing every detail of the annual citywide celebration of cultural heritage.
The Arts Champion Award
This award recognizes a corporation or organization that has made meaningful contributions to advance the arts in the Ozarks. The recipient of this award is an advocate, supporter, sponsor and/or philanthropist who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the arts.
Winner
Boys & Girls Club of Springfield, Arts Champion winner, has made the arts a cornerstone of its programming, giving thousands of young people access to music, theatre, dance, and visual arts regardless of income or background. From full-scale musical productions to youth showcases, fashion design, and the new CREATES teen arts space, the Club provides opportunities for kids to discover passions, express themselves, and build confidence.
Bucky Bowman Lifetime Achievement Award
The Arts Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals or organizations whose sustained and substantial contributions have built the artistic vitality of the Ozarks, nurturing and enabling forms of creation, participation, presentation, and enjoyment, whose leadership has inspired others, and whose influence has been felt in the region and beyond.
Winner
David Harrison, Bucky Bowman Lifetime Achievement winner, Missouri’s Poet Laureate (2023–2025), has been a literary voice for decades. His career includes service as Poet Laureate of Drury University (since 1983), and authorship of more than 108 books spanning poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and professional works for educators. His writing has been anthologized in over 200 volumes, translated into 12 languages, and even celebrated in public spaces, with a Springfield elementary school bearing his name. Harrison’s career reflects both creative excellence and a lifelong commitment to education.
How to Submit Ozzie Award Nominations
Nominations are sourced directly from community members to ensure the Ozzie Awards truly represent the spirit and talent that flourishes within our vibrant arts community. Nominations include:
• Volunteer of the Year
• The Arts Champion Award
• The Arts Ambassador Award
• Excellence in Arts Education Award
Submit a Nomination Form
• Nomination Deadline: July 7, 2025
• Nomination applications will be screened to ensure all areas of criteria are met appropriately.
Nominees Are Invited to Submit An Application
• Application Deadline: Coming Soon
• Applications will be reviewed by a panel of impartial judges selected from the region who serve in philanthropic roles and have experience in the arts, including previous Ozzie winners, artists, performers and/or arts patrons.