Programs » Awards for Distinction
CAA Awards for Distinction
By honoring outstanding member achievements, CAA reaffirms its mission to encourage the highest standards of scholarship, practice, connoisseurship, and teaching in the arts. With these annual awards, CAA seeks to honor individual artists, art historians, authors, museum professionals, and critics whose accomplishments transcend their individual disciplines and contribute to the profession as a whole and to the world at large.
CHARLES RUFUS MOREY BOOK AWARD
The Charles Rufus Morey Book Award, named in honor of one of the founding members of CAA and first teachers of art history in the United States, was established in 1953. This award honors an especially distinguished book in the history of art, published in the English language. Preference is given to books, including catalogues raisonnés, by a single author, but major publications in the form of articles or group studies may be included. Publication of documents or inventories, unless specifically in the context of an exhibition, are also eligible.
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ALFRED H. BARR JR. AWARD
The Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for museum scholarship was established in 1980, in honor of the founding director of the Museum of Modern Art and a scholar of early-twentieth-century painting. This award is presented to the author or authors of an especially distinguished catalogue in the history of art, published in the English language under the auspices of a museum, library, or collection. Catalogues of public or private collections or significant portions thereof and exhibition catalogues are eligible.
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ALFRED H. BARR JR. AWARD FOR SMALLER MUSEUMS, LIBRARIES, COLLECTIONS, AND EXHIBITIONS
In 2009, CAA established a second Barr award, the Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for Smaller Museums, Libraries, Collections, and Exhibitions, for the author(s) of catalogues produced by smaller museums, libraries, and collections with an annual operating budget of less than $10 million dollars. If nominating a catalogue for this award; please identify if the institution producing the catalogue has an annual operating budget of more than $10 million (eligible for the “Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award”) or if the institution producing the catalogue has an annual operating budget of less than $10 million (eligible for the “Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award for Smaller Museums, Libraries, Collections, and Exhibitions”).
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FRANK JEWETT MATHER AWARD
The Frank Jewett Mather Award, first presented in 1963 for art journalism, is named in honor of the art critic, teacher, and scholar who was affiliated with Princeton University until his death in 1953. It is awarded for significant published art criticism that has appeared in publication in a one-year period. The Mather award may be given for work that originated before the indicated period provided that such work extends into the award period.
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ARTHUR KINGSLEY PORTER PRIZE
The Arthur Kingsley Porter Prize was established in 1957, in memory of a founding member of the CAA and one of the first American scholars of the discipline. This award seeks to encourage high scholarly standards among younger members of the profession. The prize is awarded for a distinguished article published in The Art Bulletin during the previous year by a scholar who is under the age of thirty-five or who has received the doctorate not more than ten years before acceptance of the article for publication.
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ART JOURNAL AWARD
Established in 2000, the Art Journal Award is presented to the author of the most distinguished contribution—article, interview, conversation, portfolio, review, or any other text or visual project—published in Art Journal during the previous year.
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DISTINGUISHED TEACHING OF ART AWARD
The Distinguished Teaching of Art Award, established in 1972, is presented to an individual who has been actively engaged in teaching art for most of their career. This award is presented to an artist of distinction who has developed a philosophy or technique of instruction based on their experience as an artist; has encouraged their students to develop their own individual abilities; and/or has made some contribution to the body of knowledge loosely called theory and understood as embracing technical, material, aesthetic, and perceptual issues.
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DISTINGUISHED TEACHING OF ART HISTORY AWARD
The Distinguished Teaching of Art History Award, established in 1977, is presented to an individual who has been actively engaged in teaching art history for most of their career. Among the range of criteria that may be applied in evaluating candidates are: inspiration to a broad range of students in the pursuit of humanistic studies; rigorous intellectual standards and outstanding success in both scholarly and class presentation; contribution to the advancement of knowledge and methodology in the discipline, including integration of art-historical knowledge with other disciplines; and aid to students in the development of their careers.
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ARTIST AWARD FOR A DISTINGUISHED BODY OF WORK
The Artist Award for a Distinguished Body of Work, first presented in 1988, is a peer award given to an artist for exceptional work through exhibitions, presentations, or performances. This award is presented to a living artist of national or international stature and must tie them to an exceptional recent exhibition.
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DISTINGUISHED ARTIST AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
The Distinguished Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement, first presented in 1988, celebrates the career of an artist who, among other distinctions, has demonstrated particular commitment to their work throughout a long career and has had an important impact nationally and internationally on the field.
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DISTINGUISHED LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR WRITING ON ART
The Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on Art, established in 2003, celebrates the career of an author of note and includes art criticism, art history, art biography, and/or art theory. The award is presented to an author who, among other distinctions, has demonstrated particular commitment to their work throughout a long career and has had an impact, nationally and internationally, on the field.
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DISTINGUISHED FEMINIST AWARDS
CAA presents two annual Distinguished Feminist Awards: one presented to a visual artist or designer who, through outstanding efforts in their practice or advocacy, has advanced the cause of equality for women in the arts; and one presented to a scholar who, through outstanding efforts in their scholarship, curatorial practice, or advocacy, has advanced the cause of equality for women in the arts. From 1996 to 2008, this award was presented as an Annual Recognition Award by CAA’s Committee on Women in the Arts (CWA) at a ceremony at the Annual Conference.
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CAA/AIC AWARD FOR DISTINCTION IN SCHOLARSHIP AND CONSERVATION
The CAA/American Institute for Conservation Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation recognizes outstanding contributions by one or more persons who, individually or jointly, have enhanced understanding of art through the application of knowledge and experience in conservation, art history, and art. The joint award with AIC was first presented in 2016. Between 1991 and 2015, the award was known as the “CAA/Heritage Preservation Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation.”
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EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY AWARD
The Excellence in Diversity Award, established in 2017, recognizes outstanding efforts in arts programming, projects, and/or scholarship to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. The award may be made to either an institution or individual for demonstrated and significant advancement of diversity in non-profit institutions such as colleges or universities, museums or galleries, foundations, and/or cultural agencies, especially in areas related to including, embracing, and/or enhancing opportunities for people of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, religions/faiths, genders, differing abilities, and/or sexual orientations.
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Contact
Questions? Please contact Cali Buckley, Manager of Grants and Awards & Director of the CAA-Getty International Program, at cbuckley@collegeart.org.