2018 Governor’s Arts Award Goes to Peggy Kjelgaard

Peggy Kjelgaard served as the executive director of the Eureka Springs School of the Arts for 10 years. She led the way on developing a 10-year plan for the school and helped to raise and manage more than $2 million in operational and capital funding. During her leadership, the campus expanded from one facility located on less than an acre to seven facilities on more than 50 acres. The school now offers more than 75 workshops in mediums that include metal, wood, leather, fiber, clay, glass and drawing and painting. Kjelgaard has a doctorate degree in education. For 20 years, she instructed educators on developing a strong curriculum for the benefit of all learners, including the integration of the arts. She has served on various governing boards, including the Eureka Springs Arts Council, local school boards and the Writers’ Colony of Dairy Hollow.