Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee recognized this year’s recipients of the Tennessee Governor’s Arts Awards, Tennessee’s highest honor in the arts since 1971.
In an awards ceremony held at the Executive Residence Conservation Hall yesterday, Governor and First Lady Lee honored 11 recipients with the Tennessee Governor’s Arts Award.
The recipients who represent the best in arts and culture in Tennessee join only 259 others who have also received the award over the past 52 years.
The 2025 Governor’s Arts Awards recipients included:
Lifetime Achievement to the Grand Ole Opry.
Arts Leadership to Deanie Parker of Memphis.
Distinguished artist award to Steve Cropper of Memphis/Nashville
And The Folklife Heritage Award To Helen Turner, of Brownsville
