More than 100 arts supporters and artists filled Boswell Mourot Fine Art gallery in Little Rock on June 18 to honor and celebrate the 2025 Arkansas Living Treasure, potter Stephen Driver.

Marty Ryall, director of Arkansas Heritage, and Patrick Ralston, Arkansas Arts Council director, gave speeches about the importance of the Arkansas Living Treasure Award, traditional craft, the creative economy, and the creatives who are building community and perpetuating traditional craft and folk arts in Arkansas. Driver, of Oark, has been creating pottery for more than 50 years, is a longtime educator and mentor, and hosts community kiln firings annually.

The Arkansas Living Treasure Award Reception also featured a private showing of the documentary, Ozark Wabi, a documentary featuring Driver and directed by Eliot Peterson and Molly Wheat, both of whom attended the celebration.

Catering was provided by Rock City Kitchen.

Starting in 2002, the Arkansas Living Treasure Award program annually recognizes a master traditional craftsperson living and working in Arkansas and perpetuating their chosen craft. In the past two years, the program was expanded, thanks in part to a Windgate Foundation grant, to include traditional folk arts.

The program now provides a $5,000 award to the annually chosen Arkansas Living Treasure. Awardees are nominated by their communities, then chosen by an independent panel. Nominations for the Arkansas Living Treasure Award reopen in November.

Click HERE to see photos from the 2025 Arkansas Living Treasure Award Reception held June 18 in South on Main in Little Rock. Click HERE to read more about the Treasure program, see past recipients and read about potter Stephen Driver.