Frequently Asked Questions
What are the categories for Texas State Artist? State artist positions include state poet laureate, state musician classical, state musican, state two-dimensional artist and state three-dimensional artist. These positions were created by the Texas Legislature.
What is the role of the Texas Commission on the Arts? In accordance with chapter 3104 of the Texas Government Code, TCA oversees the selection process. TCA issues the call for nominations, oversees an evaluation panel review process, and provides a list of finalists to the selection committee.
Who selects the Texas State Artists? The Texas Poet Laureate, State Musician and State Artist Committee makes the final determination by selecting from the list of no more than ten finalists provided by TCA. Committee members are appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the House of Representatives.
What do Texas State Artists do? Texas State Artists serve one-year terms and represent the state’s artistic legacy. Texas State Artists are widely recognized for their contributions to the state and the advancement of their respective art forms. They are established artists with a statewide, national or international reputation. They reflect Texas’ diversity and high-quality artistic offerings.
What is the benefit of being named a Texas State Artist? State artists receive statewide recognition, and the designation provides a unique marketing opportunity. State artists also have the opportunity to be included on TCA’s Texas Touring Roster.
How does the selection process for Texas State Artists work? TCA solicits nominations in each artistic discipline for consideration by an evaluation panel. The panel narrows the selection process to no more than 10 names per category. This list of finalists is presented to the Texas Poet Laureate, State Musician and State Artist Committee. The committee makes the final designation.
How can I nominate someone for Texas State Artist? The nomination process is open in even-numbered years from mid-summer through October 15. Please check back then or sign up for email notifications on this program.
Is there an advantage to having nominations from multiple people? No. Each individual nominee will be evaluated by the panels based on the artistic quality of their work, not on the number of nominations.
Can I nominate a band or group for State Musician? No. We can only accept nominations for individuals for this title. You can nominate each member of the group individually, but we cannot accept nominations for a band.
Who do I contact at TCA for more information? Contact Anina Moore at anina@arts.texas.gov or 512/936-6573.
