Art Basel has launched its first annual awards for ‘Visionaries Shaping the Future of Art’.
Unlike conventional awards which focus on singular achievements, the Art Basel Awards recognize practices and contributions of significant and broad impact. Honoring artists, curators, institutions, patrons, crossdisciplinary luminaries, and cultural innovators, the Art Basel Awards emphasize celebration over competition — reinforcing the idea that the future of art is not built by individuals alone, but by communities of influence. In keeping with Art Basel’s mission to support the greater art ecosystem and expand avenues for creation and collaboration across the cultural landscape, Medalists gain access to Art Basel’s global network, tailored mentorship, partnership opportunities, and bespoke support designed to amplify their work on an international scale. For artists who receive a Gold Medal, the Art Basel Awards will provide those in the Emerging category the opportunity to showcase their work at a leading global institution; those in the Established category a major commission for Art Basel; and those in the Icons category a mentoring program to nurture the next generation of rising talents.
More than a title, a Medal is a call to artists and professionals across the industry to shape what comes next, said Vincenzo de Bellis, Art Basel’s Director of Fairs and Exhibition Platforms:
‘The Art Basel Awards are a love letter to the artists who illuminate the future with their vision and the unsung champions who bring world-altering art experiences to life. They connect the world’s trailblazing artists, their allies, and their collaborators to realize opportunities that redefine creation, exhibition, patronage, and research. This initiative is an invitation to our community to dream bigger. It reaffirms our commitment to nurturing bold artistry and empowering a world where transformative art can flourish and inspire generations to come.’
Chaired by de Bellis, the International Jury of the Art Basel Awards comprises nine members, carefully chosen for their expertise, influence, and demonstrated commitment to shaping the future of art. They are: Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, President and Director, Sharjah Art Foundation; Elena Filipovic, Director, Kunstmuseum Basel; Koyo Kouoh, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), Cape Town, and Curator, 61st International Art Exhibition (2026), La Biennale di Venezia; Jessica Morgan, Nathalie de Gunzberg Director, Dia Art Foundation, New York; Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, Serpentine, London; Adriano Pedrosa, Artistic Director, Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP); Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, Hong Kong; Franklin Sirmans, Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM); and Philip Tinari, Director and Chief Executive, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing.
Noah Horowitz, CEO, Art Basel, said:
‘The Art Basel Awards tap the global power of our brand in new and truly significant ways, underlining our absolute commitment to industry leadership through innovation and impact. With this initiative, Art Basel stands to deliver ever more opportunities for the art world’s key players, forge new paths for exchange and collaboration across industries, and create new touchpoints with our core and rapidly expanding audience. We are thrilled to partner with BOSS, a brand with a proud history of supporting the arts, to celebrate the cutting-edge work driving the future of art and culture.’
Aiming to advance leading, boundary-crossing work, the Art Basel Awards recognize interdisciplinary practitioners bridging the art world and its neighboring creative industries – including fashion, design, film, architecture, and music. As presenting partner of the Art Basel Awards, BOSS, the core brand of HUGO BOSS, builds on the group’s longstanding tradition of art endorsement and aim to amplify contemporary artistic practice among fashion’s global cultural audience.
Award Categories
The Art Basel Awards will host three categories dedicated to artists
Emerging, for rising talents demonstrating exceptional potential to shape the future of contemporary art
Established, for mid-career artists who have made significant contributions to the art world and continue to evolve their practice
Icons, for legendary artists whose careers have had a profound, enduring impact on the global art landscape
With an additional six categories spanning the industry
Curators, for leading curators who have organized trailblazing exhibitions or programs that have reshaped the way audiences experience art
Museums and Institutions, for museums, art centers, non-profit spaces, or other cultural institutions consistently staging groundbreaking exhibitions, fostering innovative contemporary work, and expanding audience engagement or accessibility
Patrons, for foundations, collectors, or philanthropists who have made a significant impact through supporting strategies, including grants, acquisitions, or commission
Allies, for the unsung heroes whose behind-the-scenes work supports and facilitates extraordinary artistic projects and careers, including in the fields of: Studio Management; Logistics and Art Handling; Art’s Production – Technical Execution (such as foundries, installation fabricators, print and digital media, sound engineering, lighting design, animation, and more); Exhibition Design and Architecture; Technology and Digital Platforms; Conservation and Preservation; and Professional Services
Cross-disciplinary Creators, for the individuals, collectives, or organizations shaping contemporary culture at the junction of visual art and other creative industries, such as fashion, design, film,
architecture, or musi
Media and Storytellers, for critics, publishers, editors, writers, or digital storytellers advancing art discourse
Nomination and Selection Process
Stage 1 A group of anonymous Observers appointed by Art Basel individually nominate candidates from across the art ecosystem for further consideration. Nominations are secret.
Stage 2 The International Jury selects 36 Medalists, based on individual assessments and group deliberations against four key criteria: Vision and Innovation, Engagement, Skill and Execution, and Broader Impact. Medalists are announced in May.
Stage 3 Through independent peer review, the 36 Medalists vote to select 12 Gold Medalists from among themselves whose efforts best exemplify the Art Basel Awards’ values and standards of excellence. Gold Medalists are revealed in December.
Events and Programming
The Art Basel Awards are a year-long celebration of artistic and cultural impact. Following their announcement in May, this year’s 36 Medalists will be honored at a premier reception in Basel, Switzerland in June, during Art Basel’s historic flagship fair. Medalists will also be the protagonists of a new thought leadership program hosted by Art Basel, convening leading voices in the global art world at Messe Basel on June 20th.
The 2025 Awards program will culminate in Miami Beach in December, where 12 Gold Medalists will be named during the official night of the Art Basel Awards. The capstone event will feature artist performances, immersive experiences, and festivities reflecting the creative vision of the Art Basel Awards and Miami as an international breeding ground for collaboration across art, culture, and commerce. More information on the schedule of events will be released in the coming months.
MORE: Artbasel.com/Awards
