GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Emmett O’Ryan Award

Given annually to an outstanding visual artist by Renasant in partnership with ARTSmemphis, the Emmett Award recognizes artistic excellence and honors an artist with a sustained commitment to developing their practice. The award is named in honor of Emmett O'Ryan, a founding Board Member of Metropolitan Bank, now Renasant.

  • Emmett’s career began in the commercial printing industry in the 1980's when he bought a Memphis-based screen-printing company, Ad South. He won numerous awards for artistic excellence in this field, and he served on the board of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) for 20 years. He was a volunteer on the School Art board for the Mid South Fair for 25 years and he designed and donated posters for The Liberty Bowl and other local charities.

    His passion for art and life were evident in every aspect of his life. Emmett and his wife Sara were avid art collectors. He was a guitar player, scuba diver, snow skier, vintage car collector, and he traveled and visited art museums around the world. At the time of his death, Emmett was studying sculpture and pursuing an MFA at Memphis College of Art.

  • Kiersten N. Williams, 2024

    Lurlynn Franklin, 2023

    Yvonne Bobo, 2020

    Nancy Cheairs, 2019

    Gerard Harris, 2018

    Carl E. Moore, 2017

    Beth Edwards, 2016

    Frank D Robinson Jr., 2015

    Leandra Urrutia, 2014

    Alan Spearman, 2013

    Anthony D. Lee, 2012

    Mary Catherine Floyd, 2010