The Art Basel Awards medallists have been announced for 2026.
The award, now in its second year and presented in partnership with BOSS, aims to recognise the most forward-thinking cultural actors in the art world today, and the individuals and institutions creating momentum across the cultural sector worldwide.
With an emphasis on recognising contributions from a wide range of media and disciplines, the Art Basel Awards run across several categories, including Emerging Artist, Established Artist, Icon Artist, Cross-Disciplinary Creator, Museum and Institution, Media and Storyteller, Patron, Allies and Curator.
A total of 33 medallists from around the world have been selected this year, with a notable presence from the Global South. Medallists include the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in the Museum and Institution category, Farah Al Qasimi and Aziza Kadyri in the Emerging Artist category, Sumayya Vally in the Cross-Disciplinary Creator category and Diana Campbell in the Curator category, among others.
Chief artistic officer and global director of Art Basel fairs, Vincenzo de Bellis, commented: ‘With the second edition of the Art Basel Awards, we begin to see the initiative take shape in practice – from new commissions to long-term support and deeper engagement with our growing community of medallists. Building on last year’s momentum, it is especially rewarding to see how these connections evolve into tangible outcomes across the field.”
A ceremony will take place during Art Basel’s flagship fair in Switzerland in June of this year to recognise the medallists, while later in the year the Gold Awardees will be chosen through a process of independent peer-review.
Full list of medallists by category:
Emerging Artist
Aziza Kadyri
Carla Gueye
Diego Marcon
Farah Al Qasimi
Precious Okoyomon
Tiffany Sia
Established Artist
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Arthur Jafa
Julie Mehretu
María Magdalena Campos-Pons
Rirkrit Tiravanija
Theaster Gates
Icon Artist
Barbara Kruger
Howardena Pindell
Jenny Holzer
Cross-Disciplinary Creator
Kulapat Yantrasast
Laurie Anderson
Sumayya Vally
Museum and Institution
Diriyah Biennale Foundation
SAVVY Contemporary
The Brick
Media and Storyteller
Anton Vidokle
Hilton Als
Siddhartha Mitter
Patron
Mercedes Vilardell
Pamela J. Joyner
Teiger Foundation
Allies
Independent Curators International
New Curators
Studio Museum in Harlem: Artist-in-Residence Program
Curator
Azu Nwagbogu
Diana Campbell
Stuart Comer
