Members of Lawrence’s Cultural Arts Commission are recognizing six artists and educators with 2026 Phoenix Awards for their outstanding contributions to the arts in Lawrence.
“The Phoenix Awards celebrate the artists, educators, advocates and community members whose creativity, dedication and contributions help strengthen Lawrence’s vibrant arts and cultural identity,” according to a news release from the city.
Here are the 2026 nominees selected for the honors, and some information from their nominations.
Paul Popiel
Popiel recently left his position as dean of KU’s School of Music to direct bands at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. But he led KU’s band program since 2010, and served as co-conductor of the Lawrence City Band for about a decade.
“Dr. Popiel’s influence has a reach beyond the college students in his immediate care. His international partnerships draw globally recognised artists to Lawrence, creating formative experiences for hundreds of high and middle school students,” Tom Davoren wrote in nominating Popiel.
Davoren wrote that Popiel has volunteered his time and helped raise funds for local nonprofits. Popiel’s influence “has left an indelible legacy on the arts scene, young people, and community of educators in Lawrence,” Davoren wrote.
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Cordelia Brown
Brown retired from her job as classical music director for KPR last year after more than 40 years as a public radio announcer.
“In her long career as an announcer, performer and educator, Cordelia has had a significant impact on the classical music community,” Feloniz Lovato-Winston wrote in nominating Brown. “Her experience as a musician (she plays the piano, violin and harp) and educator has given her a special insight and empathy into the lives and careers of classical musicians in our region.”
Brown has been the force behind KPR’s Live Days, bringing dozens of musicians and groups to the live studio to perform on air.
“Listeners find her program comforting and inspiring, and she is also a supportive and collaborative colleague, eager to uplift and promote the other classical music announcers on staff,” Lovato-Winston wrote.
Kent Smith
Smith, or “Smitty,” has worked as an educator, artist, community organizer and mentor, according to his nomination.
“His work spans the academic rigor of the University of Kansas, the community classroom of the Lawrence Arts Center, the grassroots ethos of the Percolator Art Space, and regional professional development through the Mid-America Arts Alliance’s Artist INC program,” Kylie Smith wrote in nominating him. “Kent’s creative work brings nationally recognized distinction home to Lawrence.”
Recently, two of Smitty’s drawings for “Day After the Waste Land” — highlighting Love Garden and Bourgeois Pig “with boiling lines and raw energy,” according to the nomination — were selected as winners for the American Illustration 45 (AI-AP).
“Kent’s artistic footprint is embedded directly into the visual identity of Lawrence through illustrations and designs for FreeState Brewing Company, Lawrence Beer Company, and local festivals, as well as public murals, collaborative sculpture, and his longtime support for Art Tougeau,” Kylie Smith wrote.
Deborah Woodall Routledge
Woodall Routledge, Southwest Middle School band teacher, was nominated as an outstanding music arts educator.
“Deb has an innate ability to get the very best from each student musician. She meets them where they are and she lifts them up higher,” Tim Metz wrote in nominating her. “Deb also assists other district music educators with their programming and gives her free time selflessly to programs such as Java and Jazz night and the Brassmas celebration held annually at the Lied Center.”
Woodall Routledge has also been recognized with the Lawrence school district’s Dedication to Education award. Many of the kids who have passed through her classroom have become professional musicians across all genres of music, Metz wrote.
“Deb’s efforts have a clear and lasting impact on the City and culture of Lawrence that will continue well past her teaching career,” he wrote.
David Vertačnik
Vertačnik was nominated for exceptional artistic achievement “in recognition of his sustained and distinguished contributions to the arts in our community through his exceptional creative work, his long-standing role as educator, and his dedication to expanding access to and excellence in the visual arts in Lawrence and beyond,” Marshall Maude wrote in nominating him.
Vertačnik taught at KU from 1979 until 2015, and generations of students have benefited from his mentorship and high standards of craftsmanship, according to the nomination.
His work, “Marks on a Landscape.” was displayed outside Theatre Lawrence as part of the city’s outdoor sculpture exhibition in 2023.
“He has supported the structures that sustain the arts through his long tenure at KU, his leadership in securing grants and research support, and his willingness to place his work in the public realm where it becomes part of civic life,” Maude wrote in the nomination. “His mentorship of young artists has multiplied his influence, shaping the next generation of makers who continue to teach and create in our community.”
Hong Chun Zhang
Zhang, who came to Lawrence in 2004, was recognized for her “tremendous professional accomplishments as a visual artist with both a strong regional reputation and international visibility,” David Cateforis wrote in nominating her.
Zhang’s work has been shown in numerous museums around the Lawrence and Kansas City area as well as across the world, Cateforis wrote.
“Hong applies her finely honed traditional skills both in Chinese ink painting and in Western oil painting, watercolor, charcoal, and pencil to representational subjects with rich conceptual content,” Cateforis wrote. “Her signature subject since the early 2000s has been long black hair, which serves both as a signifier of personal identity and of Asian ethnic identity.”
Zhang has used her work to protest anti-Asian violence and to amplify calls for social justice and racial equity, according to the nomination.
She has also contributed to the community by donating works for Lawrence Arts Center auctions and taught Chinese calligraphy for KU’s Center for East Asian Studies, according to the nomination.
This year’s awards will be made by local artist Mara Strayer, according to a news release from the city.
Awardees will be celebrated during the Winter Inclusive Market. Details about the celebration will be announced once they become available, according to the release.
The Cultural Arts Commission is an advisory board with seven volunteer members. A quorum of four of the members voted Wednesday evening to select the winners as two were absent and the chair recused herself from the vote.
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