Awards of Excellence
ESB MACC Awards of Excellence
About the Ceremony
This award, established in 2009, recognizes remarkable Mexican Americans, Chicano/a/e/x, and Latino/a/e/x individuals or groups who have demonstrated utmost artistic excellence or distinguished service, leadership, and dedication to the cultural arts of Austin, TX.
The list of nomination categories, a Frequently Asked Questions section, and a full list of past award recipients by year may be viewed farther down on this page.
The nominations were open from March 9, 2026 to April 24th 2026 (deadline extended from April 10).
Read below for more information about the Awards of Excellence winners of 2026!
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Mariachis at the MACC Awards of Excellence Ceremony in 2025 (At the Long Center)
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Audience at the MACC Awards of Excellence Ceremony in 2024 (At the Long Center)
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MACC Awards of Excellence Awardees 2025 (At the Long Center)
Nomination Categories
Those who have demonstrated artistic excellence as a beginner to mid-career artist of any age (but may also include youth).
Those currently working as a professional artist including: visual arts, dance, music, theater, radio, TV, film, performing arts, and history. Know a great arts administrator? Consider the Service Award category instead.
Those who have demonstrated outstanding service as a volunteer, employee, or professional in arts administration, community-based organizations, and more in the cultural arts.
Those who have demonstrated artistic excellence as a beginner to mid-career artist of any age (but may also include youth).
Those currently working as a professional artist including: visual arts, dance, music, theater, radio, TV, film, performing arts, and history. Know a great arts administrator? Consider the Service Award category instead.
Those who have demonstrated outstanding service as a volunteer, employee, or professional in arts administration, community-based organizations, and more in the cultural arts.
Those who have demonstrated unparalleled commitment in education in our community in the cultural arts.
Those who have demonstrated a lifetime of passion and dedication to the cultural arts. Their career/ contributions often span 30+ years.
Those who in their lifetime made a significant contribution to the cultural arts.
Meet our 2026 Awardees!
2026 AOE Awardee, The Arts
Kat Fajardo
Kat Fajardo (she/they) is an award-winning cartoonist who loves making playful and colorful illustrations, zines, paintings, and graphic novels about self-acceptance and Latine culture.
She’s the creator of the national bestselling and award-winning graphic novels, Miss Quinces and Miss Camper (Scholastic Graphix), and the artist for the chapter book series The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class. When Kat isn’t making comics, you might find her collecting bugs, listening to spooky podcasts, or chasing after her sock-stealing pup, Roni. She is currently working on her third book, Miss Imperfect (2028), and an autobiographical graphic novel, Song for Home (2031).
You can check out her work at katfajardo.com.
2026 AOE Awardee, Emerging Artist
Estilo Peruano
Estilo Peruano/ Peruvian Style Group is a Texas-based cultural group that shares the rich heritage of Peruvian folklore dance in local festivals, civic events, and parades.
For the past five years, they have served as vibrant ambassadors of traditional Peruvian dance and music, showcasing a dynamic repertoire that highlights the distinct geographic regions of Peru. Their performances feature emblematic dances such the elegance and playfulness of the coastal Marinera Norteña, the contagious rhythm and energy of the Afro-Peruvian Festejo, and the vibrant Andean traditions of the Valicha.
The group continuously works to educate, celebrate, and connect diverse audiences, fostering a welcoming space for cultural appreciation and community gathering through movement and art.
2026 AOE Awardee, Service
Linda Valdez
Linda Valdez, born and raised in Austin, Texas, has dedicated her life to supporting and advancing the cultural arts. Since 2002, she has been actively involved with the Ballet Folklórico program at St. Edward's University, helping preserve and celebrate Mexican folkloric dance and cultural traditions.
Through her professional work in arts administration and her service with community-based organizations, she has strengthened opportunities for students, and the community. Her outstanding volunteerism and commitment to cultural preservation have made a lasting impact on the arts in Central Texas.
Her dedication to preserving cultural traditions and enriching her community exemplifies the spirit of this award.
2026 AOE Awardee, Arts Education
Lora Yvette Alaniz
Lora Yvette Alaniz is an Austin-based contemporary visual artist and public educator whose practice sits at the intersection of community empowerment, cultural preservation, and social equity. Raised within a family of musicians, builders, and farmers, she views making as an intergenerational, essential practice.
Deeply rooted in the Texas creative community, her work has been showcased locally at Austin City Hall and featured in the sustainable fashion circuit at Austin Creative Reuse’s "Reuse on the Runway" exhibition. Nationally and globally, her contemporary art has been exhibited at prominent venues including the Tucson Museum of Art, Texas Tech University, PlaySpace (San Francisco), Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater (New York), and the Prenelle Gallery (London).
Alaniz remains committed to a lifelong mission of ensuring every student and community member sees their identity, history, and potential value through creative expression
2026 AOE Awardee, Lifetime Achievement
Frederick Luis Aldama
Frederick Luis Aldama, aka Professor Latinx, was born in Mexico City to a Guatemalan-Irish American mamá from East LA and a Mexican papá. Raised in the dust-belt of Northern California by his single-parent, bilingual-educator mother alongside his older brother, he was forged into a teacher and storyteller.
Today he is an award-winning author, editor, and co-creator of over 60 books spanning scholarship, comic books, YA graphic novels, and children's literature. He edits FlowerSong Press as Editor-in-Chief, founded and directs UT Austin's Latinx Pop Lab, and holds the Jacob & Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities.
His contributions to literature, art, and education have earned him induction into both the Texas Institute of Letters and OSU's Hall of Fame. Find him everywhere at @professorlatinx.
2026 AOE Awardee, Lifetime Achievement- Posthumous
Guadalupe "Shorty" Ortiz
Guadalupe "Shorty" Ortiz lived a life that resonated far beyond the stage. A proud U.S. Army veteran, celebrated Tejano musician, substance abuse counselor, and devoted community leader, he used his voice to preserve culture, uplift others, and strengthen the Montopolis community.
Throughout the 1990s, he worked alongside community leaders to organize the La Feria de las Flores festival, helping raise funds for the development of the Montopolis Recreation Center. Whether through music, mentorship, or service, Ortiz believed in bringing people together and creating opportunities for future generations.
His enduring legacy lives on through the lives he touched, the culture he celebrated, and the community he helped shape.
About the Permanent Installation
Pétalos by Robert Mezquiti
Robert Mezquiti's Pétalos is a permanent art installation at the ESB-MACC that serves as an award wall in which members of the Mexican-American Community are honored. Pétalos is a series of petals, each representing an equal part of our cultural fabric. Each individual petal honors a member of our community who has contributed significantly through service or art and holds a place for those who will continue to shape our culture in the future. Pétalos embodies the potential of infinity-only possible through the collection of continuous equal parts.
Come by to see it during our regular operating hours.
Past Awards of Excellence Recipients: 2009-2025
2025Courtney Enriquez, Emerging Artist | 2024Ana Barajas, Emerging Artist |
2023Jacqueline Olivier, Emerging Artist | 2021Ana Maciel, Service |
2019John Estrada, Emerging Artist | 2018Lesly Reynaga, Emerging Artist |
2017Tomas Salas, The Arts | 2016Liliana Wilson, Visual Arts |
2015Jaime Salvador Castillo, Emerging Artist | 2014Ezekiel “Zeke” Robert Castro, Lifetime Achievement |
2012Claudia Zapata, Service | 2011Latinitas, Service |
2009Simon Orta, Service |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ'S)
The MACC has an award review committee made up of previous Awards of Excellence winners and community members who represent diverse backgrounds, ages, experience in various art forms, occupations, and community involvement.
Panelists do not receive the list of nominees until after the nomination process is closed to preserve the integrity of the process.
The short answer is no. No nominations will be received after the deadline EXCEPT under an official extension due to receiving a low amount of submissions by the original deadline. In 2026, we have extended the deadline from April 10 to April 24 in order to allow for more nominations.
At least a minimum of 40 submissions must be received in order to have a fair and equitable review process by the panelists. Official extensions are announced publicly at the time of the original deadline (if not enough submissions were received by that time).
Nominations are open to everyone except City of Austin employees and officials. City of Austin employees and officials cannot nominate NOR be nominated. These awards are determined by the community.
You may submit up to 5 nominations total. Please make sure that the person you are nominating has not received an award before - the full list of winners to date is on this webpage.
There is no monetary prize. Award winner names are carved into the Petalos sculpture at the ESB MACC. See bottom of this page for more info about Petalos.
As human beings with many talents, the work of those in our community may span more than one category. In those cases, the award review committee will determine final placement of the nominee in the award category that best reflects an individual's work, contributions, and impact.
The ESB MACC will accommodate anyone who is unable to fill out the nomination form on a computer or smart phone. Please email Marie.Ortiz@austintexas.gov for assistance.