Art Basel Awards 2026 expands its scope with 33 international Medalists. The program, created in partnership with BOSS, awards artists, curators, patrons, and institutions that are reshaping cultural production.
What does the second edition tell us?
The second edition shows a project now defined in practice. From new commissions to long-term support, Art Basel consolidates a network of relationships with its Medalists.
However, the most relevant aspect is the composition of the chosen group. The selection spans geographies, disciplines, and generations, with an approach that focuses on the interchange between different perspectives.
Overall, the initiative confirms Art Basel’s desire to act not only as an exhibition platform but also as a engine of production and discovery. Being included in such a list, produced by an institution like Art Basel, provides no certainty—of course—about the future of these artists but certainly leaves hope that they may become artists to bet on. The process is based on anonymous nominations and a jury of nine international experts.
How is the 2026 selection composed?
The awards cover nine categories and reward both artistic excellence and the figures supporting the system. Fifteen artists are included in the Emerging, Established, and Icon sections.
Additionally, eighteen Medalists are selected among Cross-Disciplinary, Museum & Institution, Media and Storyteller, Patron, Allies, and Curator. The logic does not celebrate a single achievement but practices capable of leaving a lasting impact.
The presence of BOSS as a presenting partner confirms an already solid connection with the cultural world. In contrast to more vertical awards, this formula attempts to read the ecosystem in a transversal way.
Who are the main names?
In the Icon category, Barbara Kruger, Howardena Pindell, and Jenny Holzer are featured. Among the Emerging Artists are Aziza Kadyri, Carla Gueye, Diego Marcon, Precious Okoyomon, Tiffany Sia, and Farah Al Qasimi.
Among the Established Artists are Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Arthur Jafa, Julie Mehretu, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Theaster Gates. In the Cross Disciplinary Creator section, Laurie Anderson, Sumayya Vally, and Kulapat Yantrasast emerge.
The selection also includes Diriyah Biennale Foundation, SAVVY Contemporary, The Brick of Los Angeles, Anton Vidokle, Hilton Als, Siddhartha Mitter, Mercedes Vilardell, Pamela J. Joyner, Teiger Foundation, Independent Curators International, New Curators, Studio Museum in Harlem Artist-in-Residence Program, Azu Nwagbogu, Diana Campbell, and Stuart Comer.
Why does the Global South weigh so much?
The 2026 selection shows a strong presence of artists, curators, and institutions linked to the Global South. Their works address colonial history, migration, climate justice, and urban transformation.
That said, the scope is not limited to visual arts. The awarded practices span cinema, performance, music, theater, design, architecture, and publishing.
This breadth reflects an increasingly interconnected art world. Patronage and research networks are also redefining how exhibitions and public programs are built.
What results does Art Basel expect in the coming months?
The 33 Medalists will be celebrated during the Basel fair in Switzerland this June. Some will also participate in the public series of artist-led conversations.
Additionally, the Gold Awardees will be chosen later in the year through an independent peer review. The announcement is expected during the Official Art Basel Awards Night at Art Basel Miami Beach in December.
The Gold Awards in the artistic categories guarantee over USD 250,000 annually in flexible support. The package includes fees, philanthropic contributions, and ambitious public commissions.
Benefits also include personalized mentorship, partnership opportunities, and access to Art Basel’s global network. Meanwhile, the results of the 2025 class are already producing tangible effects in museums and institutions.
Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama will present two new public works in Basel this June, respectively at Messeplatz and Münsterplatz. Cao Fei will open a major exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Basel in May 2026.
Later in the year, Ibrahim Mahama will present a significant exhibition at the Fondation Cartier. Saodat Ismailova opened her first solo exhibition in the United States at the Swiss Institute in the early months of 2026.
Additionally, Lydia Ourahmane will bring a new body of work to the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation in Venice. Lubaina Himid will represent the United Kingdom at the Venice Biennale 2026, while Raw Material Company will play a central role in the same event’s edition.
The flexible support has already produced measurable effects: Cecilia Vicuña allocated her USD 50,000 donation to the Fungi Foundation. This year also debuts the Koyo Kouoh Fellowship, developed with RAW Material Company.
The program lasts three years and supports young curators, writers, and cultural operators during Art Basel in Basel in 2026. The first Fellow is Aisha Aliyu-Bima, a curator, writer, photographer, researcher, and archivist. The project pays tribute to Koyo Kouoh.
The Art Basel Awards, created with BOSS, aim to consolidate a model that combines recognition, support, and long-term impact. The next BOSS AWARD will be awarded at the Official Art Basel Awards Night during Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2026.
To delve into the institutional context of Art Basel, the role of BOSS, and the dynamics of the Biennale Foundation, the framework remains that of an award increasingly oriented towards continuity. The second edition confirms a clear trajectory: supporting those who are already changing the system.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
