The Vermont Arts Council has announced the recipients of the Governor’s Arts Awards for 2025, highlighting diverse contributions to the arts. Dona Ann McAdams from Sandgate receives the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts for over 50 years of impactful photography, with exhibitions in prestigious locations like the Museum of Modern Art. Her work involves teaching underserved communities to document their lives through photography.
Sue Higby is honored with the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts for her leadership at Studio Place Arts in Barre, where she organizes more than 24 exhibitions annually and provides art education for all ages. Troy Wunderle, awarded the Ellen McCulloch-Lovell Award in Arts Education, has spent nearly three decades teaching circus arts to over 115,000 students, including stints with the Ringling Brothers Circus and his own ventures with Wunderle’s Big Top Adventures.
Zon Eastes, a selectboard member and former state representative, receives the Margaret L. Kannenstine Award for Arts Advocacy in recognition of his long-standing contributions to music education and community service through the Vermont Arts Council and national arts organizations.
The Condry family—Will Kasso, Jennifer Herrera, and Alexa Herrera—are celebrated as recipients of the Arthur Williams Award for their impactful work as Juniper Creative in Brandon, where they create art that honors the African Diaspora. Their public murals and workshops focus on community building and cultural heritage.
The awards ceremony will take place on September 17 at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester, highlighting contributions to the arts that enrich Vermont’s cultural landscape.
