Announcing nominees to the 21st Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards

OMAHA, NE (Oct. 4, 2026) — The Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards board of directors are pleased to announce nominees for the 21st Annual OEA-Awards. Nominations recognize music, performing arts, and visual arts exhibited and/or performed between Sept. 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026.

Winners will be revealed during an awards gala at The Admiral on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2027. More information about the event with advanced ticketing will be made available online at oea-awards.org and via social media (@oeaawards). Special honorees in lifetime achievement and the John Heaston Cultural Stewardship Award will be announced in advance of the event. 

Congratulations to all of the nominees. Thank you for making Omaha a more vibrant and creative place for all! We would love to keep you updated with event details. If you are a nominee, please RSVP via this Google Form link in order to receive nominee ticket discount codes when they become available. 

The Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing and celebrating local artists, musicians and performers. Thank you to board member Zedeka Poindexter, co-executive director of the Nebraska Writers Collective, for hosting this year’s nominees at the 2026 Porchfest Poetry Stage. 

Visual Arts Nominees

Outstanding Youth Visual Artist

• Makenzie Rohde
• Zariah Champlin
• Leo Kelly
• Ash Saliny
• Liam Quigley
• Malia Rogel Mendoza
• Sofia La Fata-Hornillos
• Xavier McKeagney

Outstanding Visual Artist

• Watie White
• Tim Guthrie
• Bart Vargas
• Shawn Teseo Ballarin
• Shawnequa Linder
• Baylee Bennett
• Ilaamen Pelshaw
• Lee Emma Running

Outstanding Emerging Visual Artist

• ANNIQUEARLEAN
• Brandon Rial
• Abz Cameron
• Drejon Parrott
• Baylee Bennett
• Carrie Gangwish
• Jahmai Brown
• Thomas Halbur

Outstanding New Media Artist

• Michael Zimmerman
• Shawn Teseo Ballarin
• Tim Guthrie
• Gretchen Larsen
• Ian Tredway
• Justin Wallin
• Ella Weber
• Josh Audiss

Outstanding Photographer

• Katera Brown
• Buck Christensen
• Justin Grabenschroer
• Kevin Kabore
• Abiola Kosoko
• Jennifer Haar
• Keegan Dunn
• Matel Rokke

Outstanding 2-D Artist

• Brandon Rial
• Neil Griess
• Shawn Teseo Ballarin
• Bart Vargas
• Watie White
• Anthony Deon Brown
• Betni Kalk
• Rachel Mindrup

Outstanding 3-D Artist

• Nathan Murray
• Jamie Burmeister
• Dan Newberry
• David Manzanares
• Lee Emma Running
• Eduardo Gardea
• Littleton Alston
• Mari Dailey

Outstanding Group Show

• Intersections — presented by Creighton Kappa Pi Honors Society — Nicholas Street Gallery
• Generation — Mark Peiser, Watie White, and Calista White — Gallery 1516
• Museum of Alternative History — curated by Tim Guthrie — Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment
• Ancient Mythic Heroic — curated by Shawn Ballarin — Joslyn Castle Carriage House
• Abstract Art Exhibition — Eric Biehl, Brandon Rial, Neal Hoesing — Sunderland Art Gallery
• Black but not the ART: Breaking the Frame — curated by Ang R. Bennett — Nicholas Street Gallery
• Silenced: Your Comfortability is Not Our Reality — curated by Jada Messick — Nicholas Street Gallery
• New Masters 2026 — presented by Kathleen Pyper — Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Outstanding Solo Show

• Untethering Time — Justin Grabenschroer — The Rybin Room
• DREAM BABY DREAM — April Vendetta — MaMo
• Materials in Play — Thomas McLaughlin — Project Project
• Collecting Memories — Ilaamen Pelshaw — The Union for Contemporary Art
• The Bergamot Crown — Doriette Jordan — The Union for Contemporary Art
• Jillcation — Drejon Parrott (Jill) — Clover24
• Dan Crane’s Castle Show — Dan Crane — Joslyn Castle
• Would you just LOOOK At it? — Valerie Electricradbolt — MaMo Gallery

Outstanding 2-Person Show

• ARE YOU PROUD TO SERVE IT? — Alexia Kane and Sarah Ryan — Clover24
• Resonance — Charles Kay Jr. and Casey Callahan — Fred Simon Gallery
• Moments in Time — Nadine Saylor and Holly Tharnish — Fred Simon Gallery
• Larsen Electric — Gretchen and Michael Larsen — LUX Center for the Arts
• Strange Company — Trent Grooms and Ramon Guzman — Radial Arts Center
• Villa Jardín — Makenzie and Bryan Raymundo — Radial Arts Center
• In the Patterns of Being — Ilaamen Pelshaw and Oria Simonini — Fred Simon Gallery

Outstanding Public Art

• Gift Crow — Renee Ledesma — The RiverFront
• Pizza Party — Dan Crane and Sarah Hummel Jones — Hello Apt Column
• Albert Rhea
• Concentric Circles — Jamie Burmeister — Dizzy Mule Apartments
• Omaha Public Library Art Collection facilitated by Amplify Arts
• Murals to the City — Omaha Summer Arts Festival: Oria Simonini, Joe Diril, Ilaamen Pelshaw, and Stephen Kavanaugh — throughout Omaha
• The Hearts of Little Bohemia — We Make Omaha and LALA — Little Bohemia Neighborhood

Outstanding Presentation in a Non-Traditional Format

• Oh To Be a Kid Again — Abz Cameron — Clover24
• Handmade Parade — presented by BFF — Benson
• DREAM BABY DREAM — April Vendetta — MaMo
  MiNMG (Money Is Not My God) — Michael Elizabeth Johnson, Chrystal Couse, and friends — MaMo
  Would you just LOOOK At it? — Valerie Electricradbolt — MaMo Gallery

Performing Arts Nominees

Outstanding Musical

• Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding — Shelterbelt Theatre
• A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Next to Normal — SNAP! Productions
• Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Ruth: The Musical — Reality Church

Outstanding Drama

• Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Other Desert Cities — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Mothers and Sons — Voices in Alliance
• The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Hamlet — Old School Shakespeare Omaha
• Dial M for Murder — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Angels in America: Part 2 — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Pivot — Shelterbelt Theatre
• Being Black Outside — Union for Contemporary Art

Outstanding Comedy

• The Play That Goes Wrong — Bennington Community Theatre
• Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Perfect Wedding — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Fry Daddies — Union for Contemporary Art
• The Vagina Monologues — SNAP! Productions
• The Net Will Appear — Shelterbelt Theatre
• The Comedy of Errors — Old School Shakespeare Omaha
• Making God Laugh — Lofte Community Theatre

Outstanding Premier of a New, Original, Local Script

• Ctrl + Alt + Script — Florence Community Theatre
• Fry Daddies — Eric Lawson — Union for Contemporary Art
• Ruth: The Musical — Lance Burch — Reality Church 
• The Great Race — Wai Yim — The Rose Theater
• Ways To Win The Woods — Ellen Struve — Great Plains Theatre Commons & Anastasis Theater Co.
• Future Imperfekt — Florentine Players — Mark Reid
• Pivot — Alex Lubischer — Shelterbelt Theatre
• Frozen Charlottes — Kim Louise — Shelterbelt Theatre

Outstanding Director (Play)

• Randall Stevens — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Kirk Adams — Ctrl + Alt + Script — Florentine Players
• Anthony Dupree Holmes — Fry Daddies — Union for Contemporary Art
• Wai Yim — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Jon Flower — The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Brandon Box-Higdem — Angels in America: Part 2 — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Adam Fulbright — Other Desert Cities — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Addie Barnhart — Dial M for Murder — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Kathy Tyree — Primary Trust — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Mark Reid — Future Imperfekt — Florentine Players

Outstanding Director (Musical)

• Lance Burch — Ruth: The Musical — Reality Church
• Joey Hartshorn — Next to Normal — SNAP! Productions
• Katy Kepler — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Mary Dickson — The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Susan Clement — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Laureen Pickle — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Ron Zank — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Brandon Box-Higdem — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Anthony Dupree Holmes — Fry Daddies — Union for Contemporary Art
• VJ Orduna — Disaster! — Omaha Community Playhouse

Outstanding Actor (Play)

• Maddie Scheuth — Sylvia — The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Lance Sindelar — Cecil Haversham — The Play That Goes Wrong — Bennington Community Theatre
• Diane Watson — Jody — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Randall Johanningsmeier — Nut — Orange Julius — Voices in Alliance
• Analisa Swerczek — Brooke — Other Desert Cities — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Jack Zerbe — Lyman Wyeth — Other Desert Cities — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Avery Murtaugh — Anne Frank — The Diary of Anne Frank — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Biannah Peji-Palm — Luna — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Nina Washington — Margot — Dial M for Murder — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Travis Manley — Prior — Angels in America: Part 2 — Omaha Community Playhouse

Outstanding Actor (Musical)

• Dave Campbell — Tevye — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Donovan Carr — Dr. Frank-N-Furter — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Lauren Krupski — Mary Poppins — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• McKenna Cottone — Laurey Williams — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Joey Westerdale — Quasimodo — The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Analisa Swerczek — Diana — Next to Normal — SNAP! Productions
• Emma Riley — Fiona — Shrek: The Musical  — Ralston Community Theatre
• Sarah Turner — Cassie — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Fred Vogel — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Monica Weber — Elsa — Frozen — The Rose Theater

Outstanding Supporting Actor (Play)

• Ethan Dragon — Benjamin Cullen — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Adam Fulbright — Richard — The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Bowen Nowak — Mothers and Sons — Voices in Alliance
• Caylin Choquette — Deirdre — The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Nathan Wilson — Trey — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Corbin Griffin — Mykell — Fry Daddies — Union for Contemporary Art
• JJ Davis — Gabriel — An Act of God — Performing Artists Repertory Theatre
• Brett Foster — Roy M Cohn — Angels in America: Part 2 — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Raydell Cordell III — Bert — Primary Trust — BLUEBARN Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor (Musical)

• August Moore — Jo — Jagged Little Pill — SNAP! Productions
• Sophie Thomas — Ben/Lisa — Disaster! — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Nick Knipe — Lord Farquaad — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Carli Tomac — Magenta/Urherette — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Analisa Swerczek — Mr. Banks — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Eastin Yates — Yente — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Josie Vote — Columbia — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Lexi Rooker — Dragon — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Kaitlyn Severson — Ado-Annie — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater

Outstanding Performance Poet

• Allen Stevenson
• Jewel Rodgers
• Matt Mason
• Noni Williams
• Andres Di Bauer
• Traci Schacht
• Sam Nichols

Outstanding Dance Production

• A Suite for Small Spaces — Ever After Productions
• Choreographer Showcase — Union Expressions
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream — American Midwest Ballet
• American Gothic Ballet — Connie Hinman and Vox Dance Collective
• Nutcracker Delights — Ever After Productions
• Alice in Wonderland — American Midwest Ballet
• Daughters — Evergreen Dance Company
• Elevate — Omaha Dance Project
• TEN — TBD Dance Company

Outstanding Dance Soloist

• Josie Vote — Columbia — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Jenny Yang — A New Chapter in America — Omaha Dance Project
• Sarah Turner — Cassie — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Jude Glaser — Will Parker — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Jess Pelchat — Jagged Little Pill — SNAP! Productions
• Jordan Willis — Richie Walters — “Gimme the Ball” — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Kendal Baldwin — Benjamin — Seven Brides for Seven Brothers — Goodrich Music Studio
• Alexandra Hoffman — Titania — A Midsummer Night’s Dream — American Midwest Ballet
• Elise Templeton — A Suite for Small Spaces
• Haruna Asanuma — A Suite for Small Spaces

Outstanding Youth Performer

• Brooklyn DeNio — Young Fiona/Tap Dancing Rat — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Lance Boulton — Charles Haversham — The Play That Goes Wrong — Bennington Community Theatre
• Owen Ferron — Bud Ogden-Porter — Mothers and Sons — Voices in Alliance
• Athiei Majuec — poet
• Lily Sanow — Baker’s Wife — Into the Woods — Renaissance Performing Arts Company
• Angelica Franco — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Emmy Howell — The Net Will Appear — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Hanna Roberts — The Addams Family — Bennington Community Theater
• Lainey Kauffman — Little Red — Into the Woods — Renaissance Performing Arts Company

Outstanding Comedian

• Ben Webb
• Carmela Anderson
• Rachel Ware
• Lavetti Vegas
• Erin Clough
• Zach Peterson
• Bree Calhoun
• Hulanie Harker
• October De La Rosa
• Gary Curtis
• Tyrel Frazier

Outstanding Comedy Ensemble

• Yer Mom’s Comedy
• Big Canvas Blackstone Theater
• Laugh With Me Podcast
• Prairie Madness
• Dad Jokes
• Pandemic @the disco Faux Side Story — Omaha Fringe Festival
• Quik Draw Comedy
• The Team with No Name

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Joey Lorincz — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Tom Bertino — Orange Julius — Voices in Alliance
• Chelsea Greenway — Momentum — American Midwest Ballet
• Ren Walther — Legally Blonde — Elkhorn Community Theatre
• Maya Pacana-Bredenkamp — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Sam Neff — Next to Normal — SNAP! Productions
• Devin Tran — The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Steven L. Williams — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre*

Outstanding Prop Design

• Jenny Cupak-Carroll — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Steve Knox — My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding — Shelterbelt Theatre
• Jon Flower & Aimee Correa — The Cottage — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Randall Stevens — Orange Julius — Voices in Alliance
• Amy Reiner — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Mothers and Sons — Voices in Alliance
• Stevie Knox — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Hannah Kisby & Cristal Campuzano-Salas — Legally Blonde — Elkhorn Community Theatre
• Andrew Morgan — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Becca Krause — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

• Joey Lorincz — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Jerry Ditter — Mothers and Sons — Voices in Alliance
• Dale Hartshorn — Next to Normal — SNAP! Productions
• Bill Van Deest — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Dale Hartshorn — Jagged Little Pill — SNAP! Productions
• Cody Rutledge — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Adam Whittredge — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

• Leah Skorupa — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Leah Skorupa — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Lindsay Pape — Mary Poppins — Omaha Community Playhouse
• Annie Dean — Ruth: The Musical — Reality Church
• Abbie Hagen — Frozen — The Rose Theater
• Denise Ervin — The Heart Sellers — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Amie James — My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding — Shelterbelt Theatre
• Todd Uhrmacher — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Ibsen Costume Gallery — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater

Outstanding Sound Design

• Shannon Smay — Orange Julius — Voices in Alliance
• Joe Mokrycki — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Lacey Grabowski — Legally Blonde — Elkhorn Community Theatre
• Joe Mokrycki — The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Steve Knox — Skintight — Voices in Alliance
• Bill Kirby — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Leviathan Noxvul — Jagged Little Pill — SNAP! Productions

Outstanding Choreographer

• Debbie Massey-Schneweis — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Mel Epps — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Olivia Cano — Jagged Little Pill — SNAP! Productions
• Jenny Yang — A New Chapter in America — Omaha Dance Project
• Lisa Grabowski — Legally Blonde: The Musical — Elkhorn Community Theatre
• Kelsey Schwenker — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Julian Adair — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Julie Stanfill — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Becca LuAnn Stouder — Cinderella — Lofte Community Theatre
• Nina Washington — My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding — Shelterbelt Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction

• D. Laureen Pickle — The Rocky Horror Show — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Boston Reid — The Hunchback of Notre Dame — Papillion Area Community Theatre
• Chris Ebke — Shrek: The Musical — Ralston Community Theatre
• Chris Ebke — Oklahoma! — Chanticleer Community Theater
• Meg Latta — Fiddler on the Roof — Bellevue Little Theatre
• Curtis Reynolds — My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding — Shelterbelt Theatre
• Jerry Brabec — Frozen — The Rose Theater
• Mark Kurtz — A Chorus Line — BLUEBARN Theatre
• Eric Lawson — Fry Daddies — Union for Contemporary Art

Music Nominees

Outstanding Youth Musician/Group

• Zaiyon
• Blue Sunday
• Vertigo Blues Band
• The Pocket Architects
• True Blues
• Stuck on Dodge
• School of Rock House Band
• Ratzoake

Outstanding New Artist

• Space to Play
• Dedications
• Ronda Civic
• Hair Person
• Alienation Revival
• QUiLT
• Settling Houses
• Mohana Maki
• Black Cat Rodeo

Outstanding Rock

• Names Without Numbers
• Virgin Mary Pistol Grip
• Public Figure
• Gallivant
• Kevin McClure
• Mitch Gettman*
• Feel Good
• Satellite Junction

Outstanding Hard Rock

• Of the Skies
• Beast Eagle*
• Cope Acidic
• Criteria
• Evandale

Outstanding Punk

• Setback
• Spurney’s Hawk
• Valley Street
• Cordial Spew
• The Shidiots
• DSM-5
• Bad Bad Men
• Grief Police

Outstanding Metal

• Molten
• Fallen Reign
• Narcotic Self
• YŪREI
• The Tale Untold*
• Tombstone
• Before I Depart
• Neo Sol

Outstanding Pop

• The Real Zebos
• Forest
• Riké
• Fox
• My Friends Call Me Mel
• Ebba Rose*
• KTE
• Lula
• Cher & Gene Klosner

Outstanding Alternative/Indie

• Little Rooms
• Velvet Velvet
• Jake Bellows
• The Mudpuddles
• Tag Along
• Bad Self Portraits
• Uh Oh
• Magū
• Healer

Outstanding DJ

• DJ Skyscraper
• Angie Spence
• DJ Chevy
• G3
• DJ Nativo
• DJ Shor-T
• Kethro
• Surreal the MC
• Riz the DJ
• DJ Beetlebitch

Outstanding Americana/Folk

• Colin Roberts
• Willoughby
• The Farewell Season
• The Wildwoods
• Triply Landlocked
• Midwest Dilemma
• Matt Whipkey and the Movies
• Jeremy Mercy & The Rapture Orphans
• Mike Semrad and the Riverhawks

Outstanding Country

• Watson & Co
• Noah James
• Damon Wolf and the Wandering
• Bekah Lemonds
• Lightning Stills
• Sack of Lions
• Tyler Anthony
• Owen Justice

Outstanding Experimental Sound

• Dead Poets
• Dream Ghoul
• Dereck Higgins
• Stacey Barelos
• Heavier than Air
• Dupliqet
• Alex Jacobsen
• Vempire
• Pagan Athletes
• Ex Lover

Outstanding R&B

• E Rawq
• Austin Mitchell
• Enjoli and Timeless
• Keiria Marsha
• Loh Aliese
• Marissa Carr (Ris)
• Ria Gold
• Vibe Check
• Jus.B

Outstanding Soul

• Jaguar James
• Big Wade and Black Swan Theory*
• Dani Cleveland
• Jonathan Brooks
• Emcsho
• Josh Hoyer and Colossal 4

Outstanding Hip-Hop

• Lite Pole
• Weszo
• Bucky P
• Eddie North
• Dread & Strange
• DreDaymackoveli
• Smoke Break
• Tylynn
• Zaratti

Outstanding Blues

• Jeni Grouws
• Jordan and the Jeg Legs
• Hector Anchondo
• Kris Lager
• Adam Smith
• Big Daddy Caleb and the Chargers
• Brother East Brother West
• Steve Lovett

Outstanding Jazz

• Fission
• Mitch Towne
• Paper Canaries
• Baddest Band in the Land
• Chad Stoner
• Renzellous Brown
• Andrew Bailie
• Jordan and the Jitterbugs

Outstanding Prog Rock

• Wyrmwood
• Midland Band
• Secret Formula
• Head of Femur
• Squeaky Feet
• Doom Lagoon
• Within Wilds
• Funk Trek
• Unbroken Chain

Outstanding World

• Edem
• Colton Schlines (Dos Mundos)
• Keeran Woode
• Alexis Arai
• Los Avioneros
• Ro Hempel
• Kossi Senyo (Kusher Snazzy)
• Rosendo Robles

Outstanding Cover Band

• Killer Tofu
• Whiskey River
• Powder Blue
• The Damones
• Used Cars
• Pet Rock
• Secret Weapons
• Lemon Fresh Day
• Terry Parker Band
• Southern Nights

Outstanding Recording Studio

• ARC
• Make Believe Studios
• Rainbow Recording Studio
• Screen Door
• The Lab
• Ware House Productions
• Studio X
• Music Factory

Outstanding Live Music Sound Engineer

• Ella Novak
• Keith Fertwagner
• Jim Schroeder
• Dave Reedy (Dave Bob Productions)
• Charlie Ames
• Dan Brennan
• Ben Stratton
• Corey Korth
• Taylor Behm

Album of the Year

• King Iso — Ghetto Psycho
• Wyrmwood — Shelf Life
• Space to Play — Space to Play
• Matt Whipkey and the Movies — Interior Syndication
• Marcey Yates — Vanilla Sky 2
• Ex Lover — Made in Heaven
• Ronda Civic — Ronda Civic
• Fission — Fission
• Simon Joyner — Tough Love
• Hair Person — Dorsia
• Cavedivers — Look Oute Belowe!

Artist of the Year

• King Iso
• Bib
• The Traynr Band
• Marcey Yates
• Simon Joyner
• Jeni Grouws
• David Nance
• Matt Cox
• Bel Canto Duo
• Aly Peeler & Friends
• Crabrangucci

How Are Trophies Awarded?

The annual OEAA public nomination ballot closed on Aug. 31, with 3,166 responses submitted across 59 categories for visual arts, performing arts and music. Independent review committees vetted and confirmed nominee eligibility prior to announcing this year’s finalists. Eligible nominees must have performed and/or exhibited their work between Sept. 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. 

Trophies are not awarded to artists who have won for two consecutive years, and any nominees who have are designated by asterisk (their names will not appear on OEAA Academy ballots). 

After the nominee reveal, nearly 300 members of the OEAA Academies for Visual Arts, Music, and Performing Arts receive official voting ballots by email to select trophy winners. The results will be announced at the 21st Annual OEA-Awards. More information and answers to frequently asked questions can be found online at oea-awards.org/faq.