The Japan Art Association has officially announced the recipients of the 2026 Praemium Imperiale awards, a prestigious international prize frequently cited as one of the highest honors in the global art community. Among the distinguished winners is Andy Goldsworthy, who has been named the recipient of the Praemium Imperiale Award for Sculpture.
The announcement, made in early September, highlights the international significance of the awards. Goldsworthy joins other notable figures, such as Jenny Holzer, in this year's cohort of honorees. The Praemium Imperiale is recognized globally for its role in celebrating excellence across various artistic disciplines, maintaining a reputation similar to the highest accolades in the arts.
In addition to the major announcements from Japan, several other international art competitions have recently released their results. In Istanbul, Turkey, the İstanbul Photo Awards 2026 recognized photographers for their ability to connect human activity with environmental themes. Notably, Fiorella Baldisserri was awarded the second prize in the Story Nature & Environment category.
Further recognition was seen in the Our Gibraltar competition, where Timothy Cumming secured the top overall prize, the Ministry of Culture Award, alongside a photography prize. In the category for Painting, Drawing, Prints, Digital Painting, and Sculptures, Anna Latin took first prize, while Paul Lavagna earned second prize in the same category. Timothy Cumming also secured the first prize in the Photography Award.
Other organizations also published their recent findings, including the USDF, which announced the winners of its 2026 Arts Contest. The USDF competition featured several winners across its photography division, spanning adult, 16–21, and 15-and-under divisions, including awardees Emmet Roche, Stacy Rose, Carly Nelson, Mariska Sherlin, Aubrey Welch, and Isabella Bonanno.