OMAHA, NE (Feb. 15, 2026) — The Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards announced trophy winners at the 20th Annual OEAAs during a special celebration of local visual art, music and performing arts at The Admiral.
This year’s award show was hosted by two board members, Nebraska Writers Collective co-executive director Zedeka Poindexter and local musician and organizer Aly Peeler. Performances during the evening included a remix from The Lofte Community Theatre’s Something Rotten! cast to open the show; stand-up comedy from Rachel Ware; musical performance by Hector Anchondo; an original spoken word and dance performance by poet Allen Stevenson and Ever After Dance Company; and an in memoriam tribute to members of Omaha’s creative community who have passed, pairing live music by “my friends call me Mel” with a remembrance video.
For the third consecutive year, this year’s trophies were one-of-a-kind glass artworks crafted by Matthew Shrader, studio manager at Crystal Forge inside the Hot Shops. Any winners who were not present to accept their awards should contact the OEAA Board of Directors at oea.awards@gmail.com. Winners interested in additional trophies can order these at their expense (contact the OEAA Board by email for more information).
Voting is now open for the 21st Annual Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards for works produced, exhibited and/or performed between Sept. 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. The deadline for public nominations is Aug. 31, 2026.
For a glimpse at the work of this year’s visual arts nominees, be sure to check out the OEAA Visual Arts Showcase at the Roberta and Bob Rogers Gallery opened Jan. 30, and the exhibition will remain open to the public through Feb 21, 2026.
We could not do this without community support. If you would like to sponsor the awards show and our programming, please get in touch! Check out our sponsor packet for more details. Contact the OEAA board by email at oea.awards@gmail.com to learn more.
Trophy Recipients
Special Honors
- Lifetime Achievement Award in Visual Arts: Stephen Cornelius Roberts
- Lifetime Achievement Award in Music: Tom Ware
- Lifetime Achievement Award in Performing Arts: Camille Metoyer Moten
- John Heaston Award for Cultural Stewardship: Amy Ryan
Visual Arts
- Outstanding Youth Visual Artist: Makenzie Rohde
- Outstanding Visual Artist: Celeste Butler
- Outstanding Emerging Visual Artist: Hana Brock
- Outstanding New Media Artist: Ian Tredway
- Outstanding Photographer: Joshua Foo
- Outstanding 2-D Artist: Neil Griess
- Outstanding 3-D Artist: Todd McCollister
- Outstanding Group Show: Couples: For the Love of Art — Roberta & Bob Rogers Gallery
- Outstanding Solo Show: Long Shadows & Open Books (Lied Art Gallery at Creighton University) — Todd McCollister
- Outstanding 2-Person Show: Here and After, Petshop Gallery, Matel Rokke & Hannah Demma
- Outstanding Public Art: Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement Mural (4223 Center St.) — David Manzanares with CIRA clients & staff
- Outstanding Presentation in a Non-Traditional Format: Invite Only CC: Everyone — 210 Hickory St. — Will Anderson, John Cohorst, Teri Coolidge, Dan Crane, Jessica Freeman, Neil Griess, Joey Lynch, B’onca Smith, Ryan Smith, Anna Stoysich, Trudy Swanson
Music
- Outstanding Youth Musician: Vertigo
- Artist of the Year: Parfait
- Outstanding New Artist: Dead Poets
- Outstanding Blues: Blue House with the Rent to Own Horns
- Outstanding Jazz: Tetsuya Nishiyama Trio
- Outstanding DJ: Crabrangucci
- Outstanding Alternative/Indie: Bad Self Portraits
- Outstanding Rock: Mitch Gettman
- Outstanding Pop: Ebba Rose
- Outstanding Hip-Hop: J. Crum
- Outstanding World: ÈDÈM SOUL
- Outstanding Hard Rock: BEAST EAGLE
- Outstanding Metal: The Tale Untold
- Outstanding Punk: Bad Bad Men
- Outstanding R&B: Jus.B
- Outstanding Soul: Big Wade & Black Swan Theory
- Outstanding Experimental: Minne Lussa
- Outstanding Prog Rock: Wyrmwood
- Outstanding Cover Band: The Damones
- Outstanding Americana/Folk: Midwest Dilemma
- Outstanding Country: Clarence Tilton
- Outstanding Recording Studio: Make Believe Studios
- Outstanding Live Sound Engineer: Jim Schroeder
- Album of the Year: Mitch Towne, Refuge
Performing Arts
- Outstanding Musical: The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Drama: Angels in America, Part One — Omaha Community Playhouse:
- Outstanding Comedy: Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties — Voices in Alliance
- Outstanding New, Original Local Script: Stuck with Lemons, by Marie Schuett — Shelterbelt Theatre
- Outstanding Director, Play: Amy Lane — Stuck with Lemons — Shelterbelt Theatre
- Outstanding Director, Musical: Wai Yim — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Actor, Play: Mackenzie Zielke — End of the Rainbow — Performing Artists Repertory Theatre
- Outstanding Actor, Musical: Tanner Langemeier — Jersey Boys — Omaha Community Playhouse
- Outstanding Supporting Actor, Play: Patrick Kilcoyne — Angels in America, Part One — Omaha Community Playhouse
- Outstanding Supporting Actor, Musical: Alexis Semevolos-Velazquez — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Performance Poet: Jewel Rodgers
- Outstanding Dance Production: A Suite for Small Spaces — Ever After Productions, Inc
- Outstanding Dance Soloist: Matt Bailey — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Youth Performer: Thomas Rogers — Titanic the Musical — Omaha Community Playhouse
- Outstanding Comedian: Zach Peterson
- Outstanding Comedy Ensemble: The Weisenheimers
- Outstanding Lighting Design: Steven Williams — Jersey Boys — Omaha Community Playhouse
- Outstanding Prop Design: Amy Reiner — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Scenic Design: Jim Othuse — Titanic the Musical — Omaha Community Playhouse
- Outstanding Costume Design: Leah Skorupa-Mezger — Young Frankenstein — Bellevue Little Theatre
- Outstanding Sound Design: Bill Kirby — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Choreographer: Melanie Epps — The Wild Party — BLUEBARN Theatre
- Outstanding Music Direction: Jim Boggess — Titanic the Musical — Omaha Community Playhouse