Doris Duke Foundation awards 2026 Artist Prizes, expanding support for creative labor

The Doris Duke Foundation has announced the 2026 Doris Duke Artist Awards, alongside more than $1 million in additional grants supporting initiatives that improve the working conditions of performing artists. The awards—considered the nation’s largest individual performing arts prize—provide each of six artists with $525,000 in unrestricted funding distributed over seven years, with follow-on financial planning and professional development support. Additional grants to arts organizations will fund infrastructure for artistic labor, including advocacy, artist-owned platforms, and rights governance systems. The combined investments aim to strengthen long-term financial stability, creative freedom, and equitable labor conditions for artists.