Founded in 1988 by Japan Art Association, Japan's oldest cultural foundation, the praemium Imperiale is the only artistic award to cover such diverse disciplines: painting, sculpture, architecture, music and theater / cinema , making it the most prestigious award in the arts. Since 1997, a special award has been given to young artists: the Young Artists Scholarship. Entering its 30th year, the Praemium Imperiale has become a leading forum for the voice of artists; like the Nobel Prize in the sciences, it enables us to recognize the importance of contemporary art in the world through the universal values it conveys.

THE 2018 WINNERS

PAINTING
Pierre Alechinsky (Belgium, France)

SCULPTURE
Fujiko Nakaya (Japan)

ARCHITECTURE
Christian de Portzamparc (France)

MUSIC
Riccardo Mutti (Italy)

THEATER-CINEMA
Catherine Deneuve (France)

YOUNG ARTISTS ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD
Shakespeare Schools Foundation (United Kingdom)

The award ceremony will take place on October 23rd, 2018 in Meiji Kinenkan, Japan. Each laureate is awarded a diploma and a medal by His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi, younger brother of the Emperor.