The Ohio Arts Council has named 77 artists as recipients of its 2026 Individual Excellence Awards, each receiving a $5,000 unrestricted grant. The awards were selected through an anonymous open-panel review process from 469 statewide applications, with recipients spanning disciplines including visual art, literary arts, and music composition.

Six faculty members at Oberlin College are among the honorees: Kari Barclay, Assistant Professor of Theater, recognized for playwriting; Emily Barton, Associate Professor and Chair of Creative Writing, for arts criticism; Amanda Hodes, Lecturer of Creative Writing, for poetry; Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, for poetry; Ghassan Zeineddine, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, for fiction; and Jesse Jones, Associate Professor of Composition, for music composition.

Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna S. Collins said the awards “recognize the value of individual creativity and the essential role that arts and culture play in our lives,” noting the grants are intended to enable artists to experiment with their craft, develop skills, and advance their careers. The Individual Excellence Awards program supports Ohio-based artists working across a wide range of disciplines each year.

Source: Oberlin College