Anonymous Was A Woman awards $750,000 to 15 artists over the age of 40, who each receive $50,000 in recognition of their work.
The 2026 awards coincide with the launch of the second Artists Speak survey examining the lives and careers of women, trans, and nonbinary visual artists.
Founded in 1996 by artist Susan Unterberg, Anonymous Was A Woman supports women, trans, and non-binary artists at critical points in their lives and careers. Since its inception, the organization has awarded more than $10 million to over 400 artists. This year’s recipients range in age from 41 to 91 years old, and include artists working in a variety of mediums across the U.S.
AWAW has also launched the second edition of Artists Speak, its major survey of women, trans, and non-binary visual artists, in partnership with SMU DataArts and journalist Charlotte Burns. Building on the first survey, which gathered responses from more than 1,200 artists in 2024, the new research will examine what has changed—and what has not—while addressing emerging challenges including artificial intelligence, changes in policy and funding, and the conditions artists need to sustain their practices. The Artists Speak survey is open to artists of all ages through January 3, 2027. AWAW will also host a webinar about Artists Speak on November 18 at 12 p.m. ET to introduce the research and explain how artists can participate (registration here). The findings will inform a new report and digital resource guide, scheduled for fall 2027.
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