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Open Studio Podcast Logo. A podcast on the arts in Kentucky with host Tom Musgrave. Features colorful abstract shapes and a cartoon rendering of Tom Musgrave.
Open Studio

Open Studio: Kentucky-based artist Dianna Settles talks about winning 'life-changing' South Arts national prize

By Tom Musgrave
Published October 29, 2026 at 10:05 AM EDT
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In 2019, the regional arts organization, South Arts, launched the Southern Prize for Visual Arts program to spotlight outstanding and meaningful work by visual artists from 11 member states, which Kentucky is among them. One artist from each state was selected as a state fellow and their works were evaluated by an independent panel for consideration for the $25,000 Southern Prize. Lexington based artist Diana Settles is not only this year's Kentucky State Fellow, but she is also the 2026 Southern Prize winner, making her the first Kentucky artist in the award's eight year history selected for that distinction. She's Tom's guest this week on WUKY's Open Studio.

Links:

https://diannasettles.website/about

https://diannasettles.website/

https://www.southarts.org/news/south-arts-names-dianna-settles-and-sergio-suarez-winner-and-finalist-2026-southern-prize-and

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