# Florida Artists Hall of Fame

Florida Artists Hall of Fame recognizes artists who have made significant contributions to art in Florida. It was established by the Florida Legislature in 1986. There is a Florida Artists Hall of Fame Wall on the Plaza Level in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol. The Florida Council on Arts and Culture reviews nominations annually and makes recommendations to the Florida Secretary of State. No more than two inductees are selected in any year until 2012 when four inductees were added.
In 1986, the Hall was established by the Florida Legislature. It provides recognition to persons, living or dead, who "made significant contributions to the arts in Florida either as performing or practicing artists in individual disciplines." The awards recipients show diversity of artistic accomplishment in the state's "cultural tapestry." Inductions take place each March during the Florida Heritage Awards. Each honoree receives a commemorative bronze sculpture. The sculpture, La Florida was created by Enzo Torcoletti.

## Alphabetical list of inductees

| Year | Name | City | Lifetime | Artform |
| 2004 | Alfred Hair and the Florida Highwaymen | Fort Pierce, Florida | 1941–1970 | Folk artists |
| 1993 | George Abbott | Miami Beach, Florida | 1887–1995 | Thespian and theater impresario |
| 1993 | A. E. "Bean" Backus | Fort Pierce, Florida | 1906–1990 | Artist |
| 2024 | Roger Bansemer | St. Augustine, Florida | 1948– | Visual Artist |
| 2018 | The Bellamy Brothers | Darby, Florida | Howard: 1946– , David: 1950– | Singers/Songwriters/Recording Artists |
| 2022 | Wayne Brady | Orlando, Florida | 1972– | Actor/Performer |
| 2012 | Jacqueline Brice | Jupiter, Florida | 1935– | Painter |
| 2016 | Romero Britto | Miami, Florida | 1963– | Visual Artist |
| 2012 | Robert C. Broward | Jacksonville, Florida | 1926–2015 | Architect |
| 2012 | Ricou Browning | Tallahassee, Florida | 1930–2023 | Underwater film actor and director |
| 2000 | Jimmy Buffett | Key West, Florida | 1946–2023 | Musician |
| 2002 | Fernando Bujones | Miami, Florida | 1955–2005 | Dancer |
| 1998 | Clyde Butcher | Ochopee, Florida | 1942– | Photographer |
| 1992 | Ray Charles | Greenville, Florida | 1930–2004 | Musician |
| 2024 | George Clinton | Tallahassee, Florida | 1941– | Musician |
| 2023 | Nilda Comas | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 1953– | Sculptor |
| 2020 | Rita Coolidge | Tallahassee, Florida | 1945– | Musician |
| 2024 | Xavier Cortada | Miami, Florida | 1964– | Visual Artist |
| 2009 | Harry Crews | Gainesville, Florida | 1935–2012 | Writer |
| 2003 | Earl Cunningham | St. Augustine, Florida | 1893–1977 | Folk artist |
| 2017 | Billy Dean | Quincy, Florida | 1962– | Singer/Songwriter |
| 2010 | Bo Diddley | Archer, Florida | 1928–2008 | Blues musician |
| 2016 | Jane Davis Doggett | Jupiter Island, Florida | 1929–2023 | Artist & Environmental Graphic Designer |
| 1993 | Marjory Stoneman Douglas | Coconut Grove, Florida | 1890–1998 | Author |
| 2013 | Gloria Estefan | Miami, Florida | 1957– | Singer and songwriter |
| 2017 | Don Felder | Gainesville, Florida | 1947– | Musician/Guitarist |
| 1988 | George Firestone | Miami, Florida | 1931–2012 | Politician who supported arts |
| 2021 | Tom Fitz | Jupiter, Florida | 1958– | Cameraman/Director/Producer |
| 2015 | Carlisle Floyd | Tallahassee, Florida | 1926–2021 | Opera composer |
| 2003 | William P. Foster | Tallahassee, Florida | 1919–2010 | Marching band director and innovator |
| 2021 | Mary GrandPré | Sarasota, Florida | 1954– | Illustrator/Painter |
| 1992 | Duane Hanson | Davie, Florida | 1925–1996 | Artist/ sculptor of human figures |
| 1995 | Martin Johnson Heade | St. Augustine, Florida | 1819–1904 | Painter of nature |
| 2014 | Bruce Helander | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1947– | Collage artist, painter, arts critic and curator |
| 1987 | Ernest Hemingway | Key West, Florida | 1899–1961 | Author |
| 2019 | Bertie Higgins | Tarpon Springs, Florida | 1944– | Singer/Songwriter/Recording Artist |
| 2017 | Lee Bennett Hopkins | Cape Coral, Florida | 1938–2019 | Poet/Anthologist |
| 1990 | Zora Neale Hurston | Eatonville, Florida | 1891–1960 | Folklorist, historian, and novelist |
| 2011 | James F. Hutchinson | Stuart, Florida | 1932–2023 | Painter |
| 2019 | George Inness, Jr. | Tarpon Springs, Florida | 1854–1926 | Painter |
| 2002 | Lou Jacobs | Sarasota, Florida | 1903–1992 | Circus clown |
| 2000 | James Weldon Johnson | Jacksonville, Florida | 1871–1938 | Writer |
| 2006 | John Rosamond Johnson | Jacksonville, Florida | 1873–1954 | Composer and singer during the Harlem Renaissance |
| 2005 | Stetson Kennedy | Beluthahatchee, Florida | 1916–2011 | Journalist |
| 2022 | E.L. "Buster" Kenton | Kissimmee, Florida | 1920–1991 | Painter/Illustrator |
| 2000 | Elaine L. Konigsburg | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida | 1930–2013 | Author and illustrator |
| 2020 | Guy LaBree | Hollywood, Florida | 1941–2015 | Painter |
| 1999 | Doris Leeper | New Smyrna Beach, Florida | 1929–2000 | Painter and sculptor |
| 2022 | Sandra Lloyd | Port Orange, Florida | 1936– | Painter |
| 2007 | Lawrence Hankins "Hank" Locklin | McLellan, Florida | 1918–2009 | Songwriter |
| 2024 | Lynyrd Skynyrd | Jacksonville, Florida | 1964– | Musicians |
| 1991 | John D. MacDonald | Sarasota, Florida | 1916–1986 | Writer |
| 1996 | Will McLean | Chipley, Florida | 1919–1990 | Folk singer/ songwriter |
| 2001 | Addison Mizner | Boca Raton, Florida | 1872–1933 | Architect |
| 2019 | Ann Norton | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1905–1982 | Sculptor |
| 1994 | Ralph Hubbard Norton | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1875–1953 | Art collector and museum founder |
| 2008 | Victor Nuñez | Tallahassee, Florida | 1945– | Film director |
| 2014 | Tom Petty | Gainesville, Florida | 1950–2017 | Singer and songwriter |
| 2004 | Albin Polasek | Winter Park, Florida | 1879–1965 | Sculptor |
| 2006 | W. Stanley "Sandy" Proctor | Tallahassee, Florida | 1939– | Sculptor |
| 1991 | Robert Rauschenberg | Captiva, Florida | 1925–2008 | Painter |
| 1987 | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings | Cross Creek, Florida | 1896–1953 | Author |
| 1993 | Burt Reynolds | Jupiter, Florida | 1936–2018 | Actor |
| 1987 | John N. Ringling | Sarasota, Florida | 1866–1936 | Circus empresario |
| 1998 | Gamble Rogers | St. Augustine, Florida | 1937–1991 | Folk musician and storyteller |
| 2012 | Louis Roney | Winter Park, Florida | 1921–2017 | Opera singer |
| 2001 | James Rosenquist | Aripeka, Florida | 1933–2017 | Artist |
| 2022 | Bob Ross | Daytona Beach, Florida | 1942–1995 | Television Personality/Painter |
| 2008 | Augusta Savage | Green Cove Springs, Florida | 1892–1962 | Sculptor |
| 1999 | Patrick D. Smith | Merritt Island, Florida | 1927–2014 | Author |
| 2017 | Jim Stafford | Winter Haven, Florida | 1944– | Musician/Entertainer |
| 2010 | Christopher M. Still | Tarpon Springs, Florida | 1961– | Painter |
| 2013 | Frank Thomas | Lake Wales, Florida | 1943–2020 | Musician |
| 2009 | Mel Tillis | Silver Springs, Florida | 1932–2017 | Musician |
| 2011 | Johnny Tillotson | Jacksonville, Florida | 1938– | Singer and songwriter |
| 1994 | Jerry N. Uelsmann | Gainesville, Florida | 1934–2022 | Photographer |
| 1997 | Edward Villella | Miami, Florida | 1936– | Ballet dancer |
| 1994 | Hiram D. Williams | Gainesville, Florida | 1917–2003 | Painter and professor of art |
| 1989 | Tennessee Williams | Key West, Florida | 1911–1983 | Author |
| 2013 | Laura Woodward | Palm Beach, Florida | 1834–1926 | Painter |
| 2018 | Purvis Young | Miami, Florida | 1943–2010 | Visual Artist |
| 1994 | Ellen Taaffe Zwilich | Miami, Florida | 1939– | Music composer |