Today's the day, Phoenix. We're announcing the finalists for the 2014 Big Brain Awards.
Each spring, we recognize emerging Phoenix creatives -- and over the past 10 days, we've narrowed down our long list of nominations to 15 finalists in five categories.
See also: 2013 Big Brain Awards Winners Announced
During New Times' Artopia (date to be announced soon), we'll honor one winner in each of the five categories -- visual art, performing art, culinary art, design, and urban vision -- with a $500 prize.
Leading up to the party, profiles of all the Big Brain finalists will run on New Times' blogs, as well as in the paper on Thursday, April 17.
And, since it's the fifth anniversary of Big Brains, we're also putting the spotlight on five established creatives who've helped make this Phoenix a better, cooler place. You might think of them as "elder statesmen," but we're calling them Urban Legends. Stay tuned for that big announcement next week.
Here they are, your 2014 Big Brain finalists: Culinary Art
Aisha Tedros Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Stephanie Teslar
Visual Art
Becky Nahom El Peezo Alexandra Bowers
Performing Art
Kristopher K. Q. Pourzal Orange Theatre Mike Kennedy
Design
Scott Biersack Ashley Weber Manny Mares
Urban Vision