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, artistic director of  In The Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre and founder of the annual 

 has won the McKnight Foundation's prestigious 

The award comes with $50,000, and is given to an artist who has made significant contributions to the quality of Minnesota's cultural life over the course of their career.

 Performing Arts Curator Philip Bither, said artists are chosen based on the quality of their work, their commitment to Minnesota, and their impact on the community.

Spieler has developed a national reputation for her work, and has taught numerous other artists her particular brand of mask-making and community engagement, Bither added.

While Spieler remains based in Minneapolis, she often tours the work created at In The Heart of the Beast around the state, across the country, and internationally. Spieler's work is known for both its commitment to the environment, and to economic justice.

"I personally love the work she's done around water in recent years," said Bither. "Before other people  realized what a critical and vulnerable resource it is, she did a whole cycle of works around explorations of water, who owns it, is it a right or a privelege - questions around the centrality of water to our lives and the health of the planet."

In addition to the cash award, Spieler will be recognized with a celebration and a publication honoring her work.

Spieler was the subject of an MPR profile last year as part of our "

" series. You can read more about her work 

Arts and Culture

State of the Arts Blog

Marianne Combs

Author

Sandy Spieler, artistic director of  In The Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre and founder of the annual May Day Parade has won the McKnight Foundation's prestigious Distinguished Artist Award for 2014.

‘Beast’ director Sandy Spieler wins McKnight art prize

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