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"; we're calling them Urban Legends. Stay tuned for that big announcement next week.

Here they are, your 2014 Big Brain finalists: 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

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Culinary Art

Aisha Tedros Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Stephanie Teslar

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