Medallists Vote on Who Gets Gold in New Art Basel Awards
The Swiss fair giant is set to honour art‑world luminaries from across disciplines in an ‘invitation to our community to dream bigger’. Save to My Ocula
Art Basel has announced a new global awards programme which, in a significant shift in how the art world recognises excellence, will see medalists themselves ultimately choosing who receives gold.
Launching in 2025, the programme will honour 36 individuals and organisations across the art ecosystem, with 12 ultimately receiving gold medals.
The selection process takes a two-pronged approach: anonymous ‘Observers’ appointed by Art Basel will nominate candidates across various categories, and then a jury chaired by Basel’s Vincenzo de Bellis and including figures like Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Adriano Pedrosa, will narrow the list to 36 medalists.
The twist is that the 36 medalists will then vote among themselves to determine the 12 gold medal winners.
The initiative intends to differ from traditional art world accolades like the long-standing Baloise Art Prize, which annually honours two emerging artists at Art Basel’s Statements sector, or Frieze’s fair-specific awards in London, New York, and Seoul.
Art Basel’s initiative will honour not just artists—but curators, institutions, patrons, and other cultural innovators shaping contemporary art, in an approach echoing the spirit of artist-centric initiatives like the Turner Prize, and other industry awards which see invited peers select winners like The Brit awards.
Art Basel’s director of fairs and exhibition platforms Vincenzo de Bellis described the Awards as ‘a love letter to artists who illuminate the future and the unsung champions behind transformative art experiences’.
The awards will be presented during Art Basel in Basel in June, with a culminating event planned for Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2025. While it’s too early to speculate on potential honourees, it will be interesting to see how this new program might reshape the landscape of artistic recognition and support.
As Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz noted, ‘this initiative is an invitation to our community to dream bigger’.
With global reach and an emphasis on community over competition, the Art Basel Awards may set a new standard for celebrating excellence in the art world.
The next iteration of Art Basel takes place from 28 to 30 March in Hong Kong. —[O]
Main image: Art Basel Hong Kong. Courtesy Art Basel.
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