Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the Kansas Department of Commerce announced the recipients of the 2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards at its annual ceremony at the Docking State Office Building in Topeka.
This year's recipient of the Governor’s Award, presented by Gov. Kelly to close out the night, was Joe Walsh, a multi-Grammy Award winning musician; the 78-year-old Wichita native has earned global acclaim for his work with the Eagles, the James Gang, and a successful solo career. In addition to his music career, Walsh founded the veterans nonprofit VetsAid in 2017, which has disbursed more than $4 million to veterans’ services charities to date.
During a recent visit to Wichita, Walsh spent considerable time supporting U.S. veterans at the Veterans Administration Hospital on E. Kellogg.
“It’s hard to imagine American rock without the guitar solos, flawless songwriting, and the enduring musical career of Joe Walsh,” Kansas Arts Commission Director Curtis Young said. “Joe’s passion for music, paired with his generosity and philanthropy, makes him the perfect recipient for such a prestigious award.”
These awards celebrate and recognize Kansas artists, organizations, and communities for leadership in improving quality of life in Kansas and encouraging meaningful creative expression through the arts.
Among this year’s award categories and recipients:
*Arts Legacy Award: opera star Alan Held – Wichita
*Arts Advocate of the Year: Erin Raux – Wichita
*Arts Patron of the Year: Stev Overstreet – Wichita
*Excellence in Arts in Business: Emprise Bank/Mike Michaelis – Wichita
*Excellence in Artistic Achievement in Visual Arts: Ann Resnick – Wichita
*Emerging Arts Organization of the Year: Kansas Arts Network – Statewide