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ISPA Awards

ISPA Awards

Awarding Excellence in the Arts

As a leadership network, ISPA is committed to recognizing excellence in the performing arts globally. There is an annual call to members for award nominations. All nominations are reviewed by the Nominating Committee and then a slate of nominees is recommended to the Board of Directors for approval. Hosts of International Congresses may also elect to present awards to individuals or organizations of distinction from their region.

Announcement

We are currently accepting nominations for the 2026 ISPA Awards, which will be presented at the ISPA 2026 New York Congress.

ISPA Awards

The Distinguished Artist Award is presented to artists who have made an outstanding contribution of talent, artistry, dedication, and service to the world of the performing arts. The contributions of these award recipients have gone above and beyond their prowess as artists.

Past Award Recipients:

  • 2025 | Yaron Lifschitz, Łukasz Twarkowski, Cindy Van Acker
  • 2024 | Tania León
  • 2023 | Phelim McDermott, Hideki Noda, Selina Thompson
  • 2022 | Shen Wei, Yan Huichang, Jack Charles
  • 2021 | Camille A. Brown
  • 2020 | Angélique Kidjo
  • 2019 | Gustavo Dudamel, Diego Luna, Javier Camarena, Elisa Carrillo Cabrera
  • 2018 | Taylor Mac, Nasrdin Dchar, Lotte de Beer
  • 2017 | Peter Brook CH, CBE, Margie Gillis, Robert Lepage, Kent Nagano
  • 2016 | Bill T. Jones, Archie Roach AM
  • 2015 | David Henry Hwang, Kirsten Dehlholm, Nils Landgren
  • 2014 | Tan Dun, Totó la Momposina
  • 2013 | David Lang, Krzysztof Pederecki
  • 2012 | Mark Morris, Byungki Hwang
  • 2011 | Karen Kain, Akram Khan, Michael Levine, Luc Plamondon
  • 2010 | Ruža Pospiš Baldani, Eliza Gerner, Nicholas Hytner, Milko Šparemblek
  • 2009 | Anna Deavere Smith, Nelson Freire, Grupo Corpo, Fernanda Montenegro
  • 2008 | Emerson String Quartet, Dr. John Kani, Prof. Joseph Shabalala
  • 2007 | Regina Carter
  • 2006 | Madame Pak Suet-sin, Lin Hwai-min, Gilberto Gil
  • 2005 | Audra McDonald, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
  • 2004 | Alejandro Luna Ledesma, Fernando de la Mora
  • 2003 | Ong Keng Sen, Sardono W. Kusumo, Ravi Shankar
  • 2002 | Evelyn Glennie, Van Cliburn
  • 2001 | Peter Sculthorpe, Tan Dun
  • 2000 | Laurie Anderson, Pina Bausch
  • 1999 | Maureen Forrester, Cleo Laine & John Dankworth
  • 1998 | Max Roach, Elisabeth Sšderstršm
  • 1997 | Yehudit Arnon, Leon Fleisher
  • 1996 | Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Sir Simon Rattle, Twyla Tharp
  • 1995 | Eliot Carter, Oscar Peterson
  • 1994 | Erick Hawkins, Stephen Sondheim, Teresa Stratas, Dame Joan Sutherland, Mandawuy Yunupingu
  • 1993 | Cab Callaway, Merce Cunningham, Julliard String Quartet, Christa Ludwig, Kurt Masur
  • 1992 | Pierre Boulez, Lukas Foss, Skitch Henderson, Amalia Hernandez, Marcel Marceau, Jean Pierre Rampal, Tony Randall
  • 1991 | Herb Alpert, Ion Caramitru, Henry Mancini, Anna Sokolow, Billy Taylor
  • 1990 | Sir Colin Davis, Bella Lewitzky, Peter Sellars, Peter Serkin
  • 1989 | Gerald Arpino, Betty Comden & Adolph Green, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Philip Glass, Sherrill Milnes
  • 1988 | Elly Ameling, James Levine, Marvin Hamlisch, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Alwin Nikolais
  • 1987 | Robert Brustein, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Peter Schickele, Edward Villella, Andre Watts
  • 1986 | William Schuman, Michael Tilson Thomas, Suzanne Farrell, John Houseman, Dave Brubeck
  • 1985 | Isaac Stern, Leontyne Price, Paul Taylor, Ruth Gordon, Peter Nero
  • 1984 | Itzhak Perlman, Alvin Ailey, Roger Stevens, George Shearing
  • 1983 | Leonard Slatkin, Arthur Mitchell, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
  • 1982 | Roberta Peters, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Joshua Logan, Benny Goodman
  • 1981 | Eugene Ormandy, Robert Joffrey, Pat Carroll, Victor Borge
  • 1980 | Rise Stevens, Lucia Chase, Hal Holbrook, Ferrante & Teicher
  • 1979 | Rudolf Serkin, Celia Franca, Fred Waring
  • 1978 | Alexander Schneider, Jerome Robbins, Helen Hayes 1977 Arthur Fiedler, Agnes de Mille, Joseph Papp
  • 1976 | Arthur Rubinstein, Martha Graham
  • 1975 | Beverly Sills

The International Citation of Merit is presented for unique lifetime achievement which has enriched the international performing arts. This award is not for performance but rather for distinguished service working within the profession. For example work as a manager (artist/company/venue), in education, marketing and public relations, consultancy, festival director, acoustician, architect and other associated activities. Recipients may be a past or current member of ISPA.

Past Award Recipients:

  • 2025 | Cathy Graham, Michael Haefliger
  • 2024 | Cathie Boyd
  • 2023 | Lara Foot, Ellen van Loon
  • 2022 | Winsome Chow, Carmen Romero Quero
  • 2021 | Margo Kane
  • 2020 | Joseph V Melillo
  • 2019 | Alistair Spalding CBE, Mario Espinosa
  • 2018 | David Staples, Joop Mulder
  • 2017 | Dr. Ahmad Naser Sarmast, Alain Simard, André Ménard
  • 2016 | Claudia Toni, Sue Nattrass AO
  • 2015 | Graham Sheffield CBE
  • 2014 | Ann Summers Dossena, Octavio Arbelaez
  • 2013 | Russell Willis Taylor
  • 2012 | Sir Clive Gillinson, Julia H. Moon
  • 2011 | Anthony Field
  • 2010 | Byron Gustafson, Martijn Sanders
  • 2009 | Maestro José Antonio Abreu
  • 2008 | Edna Landau, Dr. Miriam Makeba
  • 2007 | Paul Kellogg
  • 2006 | Robyn Archer, Prof. Lo King-man
  • 2005 | Robert Harth, Dorothy Heathcote
  • 2004 | Palacio de Bellas Artes
  • 2003 | Val Bourne
  • 2002 | Lotfi Mansouri
  • 2001 | Robert Mann
  • 2000 | Ellen Stewart, Kenneth Tribe
  • 1999 | Dr. Walter Turnbull
  • 1998 | Russell Johnson
  • 1997 | Thea Dispeker
  • 1996 | David Brierly, Harvey Lichtenstein

Patrick Hayes, founding President of the International Society for the Arts Foundation, was a change maker in our field. Inspired by his legacy, this Award recognizes an ISPA member in any stage of their career who has demonstrated transformative leadership in the performing arts. Recipients may be recognized for innovation in any area of arts management.

Past Award Recipients:

  • 2025 | David Baile, Tisa Ho
  • 2024 | Mary Lou Aleskie
  • 2023 | Maria Claudia Parias Durán
  • 2022 | Anthony Sargent CBE
  • 2021 | Rika Iino
  • 2020 | Maria Hansen
  • 2019 | Jacqueline Z. Davis
  • 2018 | Cathy Barbash
  • 2017 | Louise Mitchell
  • 2016 | Linda Brumbach
  • 2015 | Susan Stockton
  • 2014 | Géza Kovács
  • 2013 | Benson Puah
  • 2012 | Charles S. Cutts
  • 2011 | Martha H. Jones
  • 2010 | Elizabeth Bradley
  • 2009 | Robert Gilder
  • 2008 | Judith Lisi
  • 2007 | David Staples
  • 2006 | Ruth Felt
  • 2005 | Shelton g. Stanfill
  • 2003 | Ken Fischer
  • 2002 | Anthony Field
  • 2001 | Douglas Wheeler
  • 2000 | Frank Salomon
  • 1999 | Judith Allen & Sheldon Soffer
  • 1997 | Herbert Barrett
  • 1996 | Eckard Heintz
  • 1994 | Clinton Norton
  • 1993 | Joseph Golden
  • 1989 | Earl Williams
  • 1987 | Walter Pierce
  • 1986 | William Thurnauer
  • 1985 | Shelton Gold
  • 1984 | Gail Rector
  • 1983 | Ruth McCreery
  • 1981 | Betty C. Connors
  • 1980 | Patrick Hayes

The Angel Award is presented to an individual or organization which has demonstrated a significant and lasting contribution to the support of the performing arts which transcends the boundaries of one country or institution, and merits international recognition. This achievement may be through outstanding leadership, advocacy, philanthropy, innovation, scholarship, or curatorship.

Past Award Recipients:

The Emerging Leaders Award celebrates creative and evolving practice in any aspect of the performing arts including presenting, touring, artist management, and creative producing. ISPA members as well as employees of ISPA members are eligible to be nominated.

Past Award Recipients:

The Celebrating Our Planet Award recognizes excellence and/or innovation with respect to creating, presenting, and or touring the performing arts in a climate friendly, sustainable manner. This new award recognizes the initiative(s) of an ISPA member or a member of the community as a whole.

Past Award Recipients:
ISPA | International Society for the Performing Arts

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