Art Basel Announces 33 Medalists for Second Annual Awards, Spanning Artists, Curators, and Institutions
Art Basel has revealed the 33 honorees for its second annual Art Basel Awards, which celebrate a variety of contributors within the art sector. The medalists for 2026 will be recognized at a ceremony during the Art Basel fair in Basel, Switzerland, scheduled for June 15 to 21, where some will engage in public discussions. A distinguished group will later be awarded gold medals at Art Basel Miami Beach in December, with funding exceeding $250,000. Emerging talents such as Farah Al Qasimi and Tiffany Sia are among the notable artists, while established figures include María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Arthur Jafa. Additionally, patrons like Pamela J. Joyner and institutions such as Savvy Contemporary will be honored. The awards seek to highlight contributions that influence the future of the art industry.
Key facts
- Art Basel named 33 medalists for the second edition of its annual Art Basel Awards.
- The awards honor artists, curators, collectors, institutions, and other art-world allies.
- Medalists will be honored at a ceremony during Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland from June 15-21, 2026.
- A smaller group will receive gold medals announced at Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2026.
- Artists receiving gold awards get over $250,000 in flexible support including honorariums and commissions.
- Vincenzo de Bellis stated the awards reflect a truly interconnected art world and aim for cross-disciplinary exchange.
- Categories include emerging, established, and icon artists, plus cross-disciplinary, patrons, curators, institutions, media, and allies.
- The awards were launched last year to recognize daily contributions and forward-thinking in the art industry.
Entities
Artists
- Farah Al Qasimi
- Carla Gueye
- Diego Marcon
- Aziza Kadyri
- Precious Okoyomon
- Tiffany Sia
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons
- Arthur Jafa
- Theaster Gates
- Rirkrit Tiravanija
- Apichatpong Weerasethakul
- Julie Mehretu
- Barbara Kruger
- Howardena Pindell
- Jenny Holzer
- Laurie Anderson
- Sumayya Vally
- Kulapat Yantrasast
- Pamela J. Joyner
- Mercedes Vilardell
- Azu Nwagbogu
- Stuart Comer
- Diana Campbell
- Hilton Als
- Siddhartha Mitter
- Anton Vidokle
- Vincenzo de Bellis
Institutions
- Art Basel
- Teiger Foundation
- Savvy Contemporary
- Diriyah Biennale Foundation
- Brick theatre incubator
- Independent Curators International
- New Curators
- Studio Museum in Harlem
- e-flux
- The Art Newspaper
Locations
- Basel
- Switzerland
- Berlin
- Germany
- Saudi Arabia
- Brooklyn
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Harlem
- Miami Beach