Open Studio: UK grad student Mitchell Burleson talks about receiving 'life-altering' national prize

By Tom Musgrave

Published January 30, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST

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Mitchell Burleson, a graduate student and instructor at UK, won $50,000 for his work, titled, “Oh Lord, I Have My Doubts.” Mitchell works in his studio located at SAVS on June 26, 2025. Photo by Carter Skaggs | UKphoto

This week on WUKY's Open Studio, Tom Musgrave talks with Mitchell Burleson, a University of Kentucky graduate student pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in studio art at the School of Art and Visual Studies in the College of Fine Arts, about winning the $50,000 Artfields Grand Prize. The prize is awarded annually to an artist from one of 12 Southeastern states.

Show links:

https://uknow.uky.edu/student-news/uk-mfa-student-s-prize-winning-work-inspired-journey-sobriety-exploration-doubt

https://www.artfieldssc.org/galleries/art/2025/oh-lord-i-have-my-doubts/256978

Open Studio

Tom Musgrave

Tom Musgrave is a senior public relations writer for the University of Kentucky and editor of the daily campuswide electronic newsletter UKNow. Prior to joining the UK staff, Tom spent nine years as the Kentucky Arts Council’s communications director. In 2018 he created the arts council’s monthly podcast, Kentucky ArtsCast, serving as primary host and executive producer. Tom’s first job in state government was working for Virginia Moore at the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

See stories by Tom Musgrave