Bismarck, ND— The recipients of the 2025 North Dakota Governor’s Awards for the Arts were announced Thursday, with Governor Kelly Armstrong honoring seven individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the state’s vibrant arts community.

Established in 1977, the Governor’s Awards for the Arts are a biennial tradition designed to recognize those who have made significant efforts in expanding arts opportunities, promoting cultural heritage, and integrating the arts into education and community life. The recipients are selected by the Governor’s Office and the North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA), with criteria focusing on those who have worked to enhance the state’s cultural fabric.

This year’s recipients are:

  • Arts in Education: Bismarck State College Theatre
  • Individual Achievement: Marie Snavely (Bowman)
  • Individual Cultural Heritage: Denise Joyce Kitson (Bismarck)
  • Champion for the Arts: Ijjo John Stephen (Grand Forks)
  • For-Profit Arts Organization: Indigenized Behavioral Healing (Belcourt)
  • Nonprofit Arts Organizations:
    • Arts for Vets (Grand Forks)
    • Minot Symphony Orchestra

Governor Armstrong congratulated the recipients for their impressive work and dedication to the arts, emphasizing how their contributions have enriched North Dakota’s communities and enhanced the state’s quality of life. “Their efforts illustrate how the arts can enhance our communities and make North Dakota an even more attractive place to live, work, and raise a family,” he said in a statement.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, February 6, at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck. The evening will begin with a social in the Northern Lights Atrium at 5 p.m., followed by the formal awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in the Russell Reid Auditorium.

The Governor’s Awards for the Arts continue to serve as a vital recognition of the individuals and organizations that help to shape and sustain North Dakota’s artistic and cultural landscape.