The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize or Gish Prize is given annually to "a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind's enjoyment and understanding of life". It is among the most prestigious and one of the richest prizes in the American arts. The 2024 award was for over $450,000. The founders Dorothy Gish (1898–1968) and Lillian Gish (1893–1993) were sisters, famous as actresses from the silent era of film and mid-century theater. The prize was established in Lillian Gish's will, in which she wrote, "It is my desire, by establishing this prize, to give recipients of the prize the recognition they deserve, to bring attention to their contributions to society and encourage others to follow in their path." It was funded in 1994 by the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize Trust and is administered by JPMorgan Chase Bank.
Recipients Source:
1994: Frank Gehry, architect 1995: Ingmar Bergman, film director 1996: Robert Wilson, artist and director 1997: Bob Dylan, singer, songwriter 1998: Isabel Allende, author 1999: Arthur Miller, author and playwright 2000: Merce Cunningham, dancer and choreographer 2001: Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer 2002: Lloyd Richards, theater director 2003: Bill T. Jones, dancer and choreographer 2004: Ornette Coleman, jazz innovator 2005: Peter Sellars, theater, opera and festival director 2006: Shirin Neshat, filmmaker 2007: Laurie Anderson, artist 2008: Robert Redford, actor 2009: Pete Seeger, musician 2010: Chinua Achebe, writer 2011: Trisha Brown, dancer, choreographer and artistic director 2012: Anna Deavere Smith, author, actor, educator 2013: Spike Lee, director, producer, writer, teacher 2014: Maya Lin, artist, architect 2015: Suzan-Lori Parks, playwright, screenwriter 2016: Elizabeth LeCompte, theater director 2017: Meredith Monk, composer, singer, director, choreographer 2018: Gustavo Dudamel, violinist, conductor, music director 2019: Walter Hood, artist, designer, urbanist Mavros, Kara (October 8, 2019). "Walter Hood Wins 2019 Dorothy & Lillian Gish Prize". Architectural Record. Retrieved September 16, 2025. 2020: Ava DuVernay, filmmaker 2021: Sonia Sanchez, poet 2022: Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, dancer and choreographer 2023: Thelma Golden, Museum Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem 2024: Vicky Holt Takamine, kumu hula (master teacher) 2025: Rosalba Rolón, actress, director, dramaturg, theater founder, Artistic Director of Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater 2026 Louise Erdrich, author and bookstore owner
Notes
External links The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, official website.