2025
Award: $4,000
Micah Wiles, white oak basketry
Mentor artist: Scott Gilbert
Allen County
Chaney Williams, quilting
Mentor artist: Angelique Shah
Bullitt County
Erin Rouse, clogging (dance)
Mentor artist: Barry Lanham
Daviess County
John Allen, morel mushroom traditions*
Mentor artist: Mary Reed
Estill County
Grayson Rogers, bluegrass music
Mentor artist: Clay Beverly
Henry County
Jodie Koch, traditional banjo and guitar music
Mentor artist: Julia Purcell
Jefferson County
Todd Childers, banjo music for traditional dance
Mentor artist: Jim McGee
Jefferson County
Suzanne Pick, mural painting*
Mentor artist: Brenda Bear
Lewis County
Bethany Marker, broom making
Mentor artist: Cynthia Main
Madison County
Maizie Gover-Barrett, Appalachian storytelling*
Mentor artist: Mitch Barrett
Madison County
Malcolm Davis, Affrilachian storytelling*
Mentor artist: Hasan Davis
Madison County
Jackson Albensi,violin making
Mentor artist: Daniel Graham
Scott County
Heidi Hess-Bynum, Appalachian music, banjo, songwriting
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
*Funded by South Arts In These Mountains
2024
Award: $4,000
Ed White, woodcarving
Mentor artist: LaVon Williams
Fayette County
Vibha Bhaskar, Bharatanatyam Indian dance
Mentor artist: Lakshmi Sriraman
Fayette County
Patrick McKnight, thumbpicking guitar*
Mentor artist: David Austin Tackett
Fleming County
Nadia Ramlagan, Ky. old-time women fiddlers
Mentor artist: Blakeley Burger
Jefferson County
Izaak Daniels, Appalachian fiddle making*
Mentor artist: John Ryster
Rowan County
*Funded by South Arts In These Mountains
2023
Award: $4,000
Lorinda Jones, fiddle tunes and music communities
Mentor artist: Ronald Pen
Clark County
Deyanira (Esme) Martin, quilting
Mentor artist: Mercedes Harn
Fayette County
Elijah Eke, hip-hop culture
Mentor artist: Michael George
Jefferson County
Lisa Sandell, Ky. old-time women fiddlers
Mentor artist: Blakeley Burger
Jefferson County
Nicholas Denham, northeast Ky. fiddle
Mentor artist: John Harrod
Owen County
Larah Ballard, Appalachian folk music
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
2022
Award: $3,000
Baylee Tackett, Appalachian fiddling*
Mentor artist: L. Scott Miller
Boyd County
Linda Schuchter, quilting
Mentor artist: Patricia Brennan
Campbell County
Blakely Burger, traditional fiddle
Mentor artist: Jesse Wells
Fayette County
Debra Oden-Williams, woodcarving
Mentor artist: LaVon Williams
Fayette County
Maddie Murray, bluegrass and traditional fiddle
Mentor artist: Kati Penn
Fayette County
Randall Wilson, banjo*
Mentor artist: George Gibson
Knott County
Gregory Marsee, violin making
Mentor artist: Tommy Case
Scott County
Larah Ballard, banjo and songwriting
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
*Funded by South Arts In These Mountains
2021
Award: $3,000
Mason Colby, old-time, country, blues guitar
Mentor artist: Don Rogers
Bath County
Hena Kachroo, Bharatanatyam Indian dance
Mentor artist: Lakshmi Sriraman
Fayette County
Rhonda Edwards, clawhammer banjo
Mentor artist: Cari Norris
Jefferson County
Daniel Graham, violin making
Mentor artist: Tommy Case
Scott County
David Barnett, Cherokee woodwork and architecture*
Mentor artist: Kenneth Phillips
Whitley County
*Funded by South Arts In These Mountains
2020
Award: $3,000
Nadia Ramlagan, east Ky. banjo styles and repertoire
Mentor artist: Brett Ratliff
Fayette County
Janna Sedgwick, corsetry
Mentor artist: Alisha Martin
Franklin County
Brandon Long, willow and honeysuckle basket making*
Mentor artist: Charlene Long
Hart County
Julia Purcell, east Ky. children’s stories, song, dance
Mentor artist: Randy Wilson
Knott County
Barbara Rosner, Ky. fiddle, Red River watershed
Mentor artist: John Harrod
Owen County
John Ryster, violin making
Mentor artist: Tommy Case
Scott County
*Funded by South Arts In These Mountains
2019
Award: $3,000
Angie Xiao, Chinese folk dance
Mentor artist: Shuling Fister
Fayette County
Susan Howell, clogging and flatfooting
Mentor artist: Carla Glover
Fayette County
Sam Gleaves, Ky. fiddle traditions
Mentor artist: Lewis Lamb
Garrard County
Rodney Vanschoyck, blade-smithing and tool making
Mentor artist: Dan Estep
Knott County
Rodney Vanschoyck, blade-smithing and tool making
Mentor artist: Dan Estep
Knott County
2018
Award: $3,000
Emmanuel Gray, Clare-style Irish fiddling
Mentor artist: Justin Bonar-Bridges
Campbell County
Kris Patrick, guitar making
Mentor artist: Doug Naselroad
Clark County
Vasundhara Parameswaran, Bharatanatyam Indian dance
Mentor artist: Lakshmi Sriraman
Fayette County
Walter Lay, old-time Ky. fiddling and luthiery
Mentor artist: Gary Cornett
Jefferson County
Leah Werking, Chinese pipa
Mentor artist: Hong Shao
Jessamine County
James Webb, east Ky. old-time fiddling
Mentor artist: John Harrod
Owen County
Melody Youngblood, Appalachian women’s music
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
2017
Award: $3,000
Montana Hobbs, Ky. old-time banjo
Mentor artist: John Haywood
Letcher County
Ben Walden, marble making
Mentor artist: Timmy Walden
Monroe County
Daniel Atkins, central Ky. fiddle
Mentor artist: John Harrod
Owen County
2016
Award: $3,000
Damon Sumpter, hickory bark chair bottoming
Mentor artist: Barbara Church
Letcher County
Linda Jean Stokley, fiddling
Mentor artist: Jesse Wells
Rowan County
John Paul Wright, clawhammer banjo and labor songs
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
2015
Award: $3,000
Dave Howard, bluegrass and old-time fiddling
Mentor artist: Scott Moore
Breckinridge County
Joseph Ratliff, chair making
Mentor artist: Terry Ratliff
Floyd County
Marty Olson, thumbpicking guitar
Mentor artist: Steve Rector
Muhlenberg County
2014
Award: $3,000
Justin Roberts, bent willow furniture
Mentor artist: George Beard
Calloway County
Helen Bailey, quilting
Mentor artist: Patricia Brennan
Campbell County
Theresa Osborne, storytelling
Mentor artist: Pamela Holcomb
Harlan County
Yuyao Ding, Chinese pipa
Mentor artist: Hong Shao
Jessamine County
Devon Satterfield, gospel music
Mentor artist: John Edmonds
Warren County
Award: $2,981
Mike Slone, luthiery
Mentor artist: Doug Naselroad
Clark County
2013
Karine Maynard, blacksmithing
Mentor artist: Lewis Meyer
Jefferson County
Erin Fitzgerald, storytelling through traditional music
Mentor artist: Sue Massek
Washington County
Gwenda Johnson, storytelling
Mentor artist: Pamela Holcomb
Harlan County
Elise Melrood, jazz piano
Mentor artist: Jay Flippin
Rowan County
2012
Karen Jones, contest fiddling
Mentor artist: Daniel Carwile
Fayette County
Tommy Case, violin making
Mentor artist: Art Mize
Fayette County
Robert Martin, storytelling
Mentor artist: Mitch Barrett
Madison County
Cory May, bluegrass music
Mentor artist: Bobby Osborne
Perry County
Landra Lewis, storytelling
Mentor artist: Octavia Sexton
Rockcastle County
Sandra Dye-Bunton, gospel music
Mentor artist: John Edmonds
Warren County
2011
Graham Shelby, storytelling
Mentor artist: Ann Shelby
Clay County
Greg Sutherland, luthiery
Mentor artist: Art Mize
Fayette County
Julia Purcell, clawhammer banjo
Mentor artist: Cari Norris
Jefferson County
John Haywood, banjo
Mentor artist: George Gibson
Knott County
2010
Jeri Katherine Howell, traditional songwriting
Mentor artist: Carla Gover
Fayette County
L. Scott Miller, fiddling
Mentor artist: Roger Cooper
Lewis County
2009
Tim Brewster, basket making
Mentor artist: Paul Rich
Edmonson County
Samantha Wang, Chinese dance
Mentor artist: Cheryl Pan
Fayette County
Francis Glass, basket making
Mentor artist: Charlene Long
Hart County
Joe Hudson, thumbpicking guitar
Mentor artist: Steve Rector
Muhlenberg County
2008
David Hurt, banjo
Mentor artist: George Gibson
Knott County
Jessica Bryant, Appalachian storytelling
Mentor artist: Octavia Sexton
Rockcastle County
2007
Rossi Clark, old-time fiddle
Mentor artist: John Harrod
Owen County
2006
Dave Whitacre, banjo
Mentor artist: Russ Childers
Clermont County (OH)
Paul Colon, bluegrass mandolin
Mentor artist: Danny Jones
Jefferson County
2005
Junior Hammock, boat building
Mentor artist: Raymond Hicks
Carroll County
Sam Peters, basket making
Mentor artist: Leona Waddell
Hardin County
Erin Cokonougher, square dance calling
Mentor artist: Charles Whitaker
Letcher County
Michael Garvin, fiddling
Mentor artist: Roger Cooper
Lewis County
Shane Hall, banjo
Mentor artist: Jimmy McCown
Pike County
Justino Catapano, alfombras de semana santa
Mentor artist: Jose Neil Donis
Shelby County
2004
Sheila Nichols, fiddling
Mentor artist: Art Stamper, fiddling
Bullitt County
Dave Whitacre, banjo
Mentor artist: Russ Childers
Clermont County (OH)
Charlene Long, basket making
Mentor artist: Leona Waddell
Hardin County
Krystal Miller, thumbpicking guitar
Mentor artist: Steve Rector
Muhlenberg County
2003
Andrew Bevans, fiddling
Mentor artist: J.P. Fraley
Carter County
Jeffrey Carroll, basket making
Mentor artist: Clevie Childress
Hart County
2002
Barbara Kuhns, fiddling
Mentor artist: J.P. Fraley
Carter County
Bernadette Wells, Native American storytelling
Mentor artist: Dorothy Dukepoo-Goode
Laurel County
Susan Mullins, Native American music
Mentor artist: Arnold Richardson
Laurel County
2001
Vickie Wilkerson, basket making
Mentor artist: Lestel Childress
Barren County
Sarah Howard, fiddling
Mentor artist: Ray Slone
Knott County
2000
Sarah Hicks, boat building
Mentor artist: Raymond Hicks
Carroll County
Barbara Church, chair making
Mentor artist: Terry Ratliff
Floyd County
Albert Shumake, African drumming
Mentor artist: Hugh Peterson
Jefferson County
Franklin Lewis, drumming, drum making
Mentor artist: Ed White
Jefferson County
1999
Regina Robinson, tatting
Mentor artist: Mary Lozier
Greenup County
Marilyn Harrod, storytelling
Mentor artist: Nana Yaa Asantewa
Jefferson County
Timothy Mark Bowers, thumbpicking guitar
Mentor artist: Steve Rector
Muhlenberg County
Carla Gover, banjo
Mentor artist: Lee Sexton
Perry County
1998
Shan Hermitt, drumming
Mentor artist: James Moore Jr.
Jefferson County
Zambia Nkruma, storytelling
Mentor artist: Nana Yaa Asantewa
Jefferson County
1997
Denise Stewart, quilting
Mentor artist: Judith Dunphy
Adair County
Shawnna Proffitt, weaving
Mentor artist: Pauline Proffitt
Garrard County
Sue Massek, banjo
Mentor artist: Blanche Coldiron
Grant County
1996
Tim Wiles, thumbpicking guitar
Mentor artist: Eddie Pennington
Caldwell County
1995
Jason Greever, marble making
Mentor artist: Richard Bowman
Monroe County
Gary Cornett, fiddling
Mentor artist: Roger Cooper
Lewis County
1994
Laura Robie, weaving
Mentor artist: Neil Colmer
Madison County
Reece Salyer, miniature buildings
Mentor artist: Burl Holland
Magoffin County
1993
Jay Wayne Nelson, blacksmithing
Mentor artist: Joel Patterson
Allen County
Beth Hester, basket making
Mentor artist: Lestel Childress
Barren County
Karen Woosley, fiddling
Mentor artist: Jesse Haycraft
Grayson County
Jack Hubbard, blacksmithing
Mentor artist: Larry Cole
Montgomery County (TN)
Eric Eversole, fiddling
Mentor artist: Clyde Davenport
Wayne County