The Central MN Arts Board is excited to announce the Individual Artist Award (IAA) recipients for 2025!

The Individual Artist Award provides awards in recognition and support of outstanding artists living in the Minnesota counties of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns or Wright (Region 7W). Funding for the program is generously provided by the McKnight Foundation.

Artists are invited to apply for this award once each year in January and may receive up to $5,000 in Individual Artist awards in a lifetime. A panel of arts professionals reviewed and scored each application. Those with the highest average score were recommended to the CMAB Directors for awards. CMAB Directors accepted the review panel’s recommendations at their March 13, 2025, board meeting with a total of $24,500 in awards.

The 2025 Individual Artist Award reviewers included:

Laura Ruprecht: Stained glass mosaic artist, exhibited throughout the United States and has created numerous public art pieces throughout Minnesota.; conducted residencies as a CMAB Teaching Artist; Three-time recipient of MN State Arts Board’s Creative Support for Individuals Grant; received Central MN Arts Board Individual Artist Award and Artist Career Development grants.

Ethan Calabria: Professional animator, worked for indie games, lead background artist at Netflix for an animated series; work for several smaller studios as a 2d FX animator; pursuing game editing, storytelling, and technical art.

Jean Louis: Music Ed degree; Performing major; taught private lessons; play for churches and worship band, weddings funerals, community theater musicals; volunteer for high school choirs, vocal coaching for soloists and ensembles; experienced in arts administration, grant writing, grant review, and stage management; serve on area Fine Arts Council.

Tim Johnson: BA and MA Mass Communication-SCSU, previous adjunct professor at both St. Cloud State and St. Cloud Technical and Community College; GREAT Theatre Development director; photographer and astrophotographer; experience as radio DJ; volunteer photographer for local fundraising events, Sauk Rapids-Rice Marching Storm Marching Band; volunteer as announcer, coach and in other areas for Miracle League of Central Minnesota; annual on-air shift for KVSC radio’s trivia weekend.

Noah Polipnick: Background in marketing and communications, experience in arts programming, community engagement, nonprofit leadership. Previous Marketing Assistant for Fine Arts Programming – CSB/SJU promoting events, conducted customer research; past grant reviewer for CMAB; Currently, serves as the Treasurer and Board Member for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of the Twin Cities, Assistant Vice President for the American Marketing Association of Minnesota; language and translation services for TransPerfect; extensive performance experience in music, vocal and instrumental, theatrical production and acting.

Sarah Flicek: Silversmith artist, small business owner of Felixery selling jewelry designs via website, fine art festivals, and tally style storefronts, teaches metalsmith workshops in home studio in Delano, MN. Participate in community artistic activities; studied art and jewelry at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.