Founded in 1994, the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts honored and supported risk-taking mid-career artists working in dance, film/video, music, theatre, and the visual arts in the United States. Initiated and funded by the Herb Alpert Foundation, the Award recognized artists respected for their creativity, ingenuity, and bodies of work, supporting them at a time when they were poised to propel their art in new and unpredictable directions. It recognized experimenters whose work opened provocative conversations and awareness within and beyond their fields.
Artists were selected through nomination and peer review. Administered by CalArts from its inception, the Award was directed by Irene Borger and supported by program managers including Frannie Garretson, Alex Mathews, and Matty Wilder.
The Award provided unrestricted support to artists, with its impact, including the recognition itself, extending beyond the financial award. CalArts residencies created exchanges with students and faculty, while separate Residency Prizes supported other nominees through month-long stays at artist communities.
The Award concluded in 2025. This archive offers views of three decades of the 184 artists who received it. We hope you will find their words, interviews, and samples of their work inspiring and engaging.
History
The Award was established, with the first recipients honored in 1995. It was launched at a time when public support for individual artists was under pressure, making direct unrestricted grants to artists especially impactful.
As artists faced financial hardship and rising unemployment in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the Award increased from $50,000 to $75,000.
In response to the disruption COVID-19 caused across the arts, the number of annual recipients doubled from five to ten. This expansion supported more artists during a period of diminished opportunities.
After more than three decades, the Award honored its final ten recipients.