Today Art Basel announced the honorees for the second edition of its Art Basel Awards initiative, who include artists, curators, institutions, patrons, media figures, and other “cultural actors.” This time around, it has tapped 33 medalists, down slightly from the 36 last year.
The project is “conceived as more than an awards program,” according to a statement from the fair, and it is intended as a year-round space for “visibility, dialogue, and exchange.”
The global director of Art Basel’s fairs, Vincenzo de Bellis, said in a statement that this year’s cohort “spans geographies, disciplines, and generations,” and added that the awards are “designed to capture a broad cross section of the ecosystem.”
An international jury of experts awards the medals based on four concepts: vision and innovation, skill and execution, engagement, and broader impact.
The 2026 medalists will be celebrated during Art Basel in Switzerland in June. Gold medalists will be selected through an independent peer-review process and announced during Art Basel Miami Beach in December.
Gold awardees in the artist categories receive over $250,000 annually in support, including honorariums, philanthropic contributions, and public commissions, according to Art Basel.
Below, this year’s winners in their respective categories.
Icon Artists
Barbara Kruger
Howardena Pindell
Jenny Holzer
Established Artists
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Arthur Jafa
Julie Mehretu
Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons
Rikrit Tiravanija
Theaster Gates
Emerging Artists
Aziza Kadyri
Carla Gueye
Diego Marcon
Precious Okoyomon
Tiffany Sia
Farah Al Qasimi
Cross Disciplinary Creators
Laurie Anderson
Sumayya Vally
Kulapat Yantrasast
Patrons
Mercedes Vilardell
Pamela J. Joyner
Teiger Foundation
Museums and Institutions
Diriyah Biennale Foundation
SAVVY Contemporary
The Brick, Los Angeles
Curators
Azu Nwagbogu
Diana Campbell
Stuart Comer
Allies
Independent Curators International (ICI)
New Curators
Studio Museum in Harlem – AIR
Media and Storytellers
Anton Vidokle
Hilton Als
Siddhartha Mitter
