Princess Grace Foundation Announces 18 Winners and 11 Honoraria Recipients for 2026 Awards
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- The Princess Grace Foundation-USA announced 18 Princess Grace Award winners and 11 Honoraria recipients, joining more than 1,000 previously recognized artists including Tony Kushner and Leslie Odom Jr.
- Award winners receive $15,000 and Honoraria recipients earn $1,500, both issued as unrestricted cash grants.
- Diana Kemppainen, president of the foundation, called the selection a "privilege" and credited the Arts Advisory Council and panelists for their "thoughtful guidance."
- 2026 recipients span theater, playwriting, dance performance, choreography, and film & animation, with dancer India Hobbs nominated by prior Princess Grace Award winner Andrea Miller and filmmaker Brit Hensel nominated by Upstander Project.
- The Princess Grace Awards Gala is scheduled for Jan. 30 and will be presided over by Prince Albert II of Monaco.
- Beyond the awards, the foundation also distributes Special Project Grants, Princess Grace Artist Fellowships, and Grace Kelly Scholarships for both high school and college students.
Why it matters: Twenty-nine early-career artists across theater, dance, choreography, and film receive unrestricted cash grants, a level of spending flexibility uncommon for emerging-artist support. Prince Albert II of Monaco's presiding role at the Jan. 30 gala keeps the Monaco royal family's cultural patronage visible on the American arts stage.
