During the even, Houston Press will present three Mastermind Awards to progressive individuals or small organizations that have made an impact in the local art community. The winners will be featured in the Houston Press Artopia Guide on January 24, 2013 and will be honored at the event. Each awards recipient will receive a donation from Houston Press to continue their artistic efforts. The Mastermind Awards is sponsored by Stella Artois. To nominate and learn more about the Mastermind Awards visit the Houston Press Arts Blog.

2012 Winners:

• The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum: Headquartered in Houston and soon to move to a new home, the dream of Captain Paul Matthews keeps alive the history of the African-American soldiers in the United States, and other important historical events.

• Alex "Pr!mo" Luster: Last profiled in a Houston Press cover story in May, the filmmaker is looking for the next step after the solid local success of Stick 'Em Up!, his documentary about Houston's street poster artists, which played to sold-out houses at the River Oaks Theatre.

• The Pilot Light Restaurant Group: Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan, a pair of adventurous chefs, turn out astounding meals from their temporary base in the back room of a boutique, while they marshal their money and resources to find a more permanent home.

Read more about the winners on the Houston Press Arts Blog.

2011 Winners:

• Foodways Texas, a new organization dedicated to preserving Texas food history.

• Catastrophic Theatre, a group dedicated to producing plays that examine how weird it is being a human animal on earth.

• Nameless Sound, a nonprofit exploring new ways to teach music in public schools and in the community.

Read more about the winners on the Houston Press Arts Blog.

2010 Winners:

• Reginald Adams and his Museum of Cultural Arts, Houston, an organization that engages underserved communities with public art projects and arts education.

• Opera Vista, a young group that's developing artists and audiences for original opera works.

• SoReal Cru, an internationally recognized dance group specializing in hip-hop. SoReal recently opened a Bellaire studio as a springboard for young dance talent emerging in Houston.

Read more about the 2010 Winners on HoustonPress.com.

2009 Winners:

• Patrick Medrano and Katy Anderson: a husband/wife team of visual artists who specialize in different mediums and combined their talents and work to transform an abandoned building into an East Texas art mecca.

• Hightower High School's Broadcast Academy: a group of high school broadcast students under outstanding teacher Ted Irving who's got them doing things both technologically advanced and ethically impressive.

• Nova Arts Project: a new member of Houston's alternative theater scene carrying live performances that introduce new audiences to theater.

Read more about the 2009 Winners on HoustonPress.com