Each year, New Times honors our community's art-felt achievements with our Big Brain Awards, giving cash prizes to emerging creatives. For the first time, we're recognizing that craft can truly be an art, not just your grandma's unfinished macrame project.

For two weeks, we accepted online nominations for Valley residents who deserve to win $500 in one of the following categories: visual art, performing art, design, culinary art, online, and craft.

Finalists will be profiled in the paper April 25, and winners will be announced Saturday, April 27, at New Times' Artopia -- an evening of art, craft, food, drinks, and music.