The Vilcek Prize

The Vilcek Prize is awarded annually to immigrants who have made career contributions to culture and society in the United States.

Awarded in three categories: biomedical science and two rotating fields in the arts and humanities

Unrestricted cash award of $100,000

In 2026, the Vilcek Prize is awarded in biomedical science, fashion & culture, and fashion & design. Previous categories have included dance, filmmaking, literature, culinary arts, architecture, design, music, theatre, curatorial work, and visual arts.

Selection Process

The foundation appoints nominators who are experts in their fields and asks them to submit the names of potential award winners to juries. Each jury selects one award winner and submits its recommendation to the Vilcek Foundation’s Board of Directors for final approval. Vilcek prizewinners receive a $100,000 unrestricted cash award and a trophy. The foundation presents the winners of the Vilcek Prize at an awards ceremony in New York City each spring.

The Vilcek Foundation regrets that it cannot respond to unsolicited nominations.

2025 Vilcek Prizes

Born in Hungary

Marianne Bronner receives the Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science for her career research on neural crest stem cells and their role in the development of the peripheral nervous system, heart, and craniofacial skeleton in vertebrate organisms.

Born in El Salvador

Guadalupe Maravilla receives the Vilcek Prize in Visual Arts for his sculptures, installations, and performances that combine symbol, sound, and ritual; his immersive and evocative works explore concepts of migration, transcendence, and the human condition.

Born in United Kingdom

Oluremi C. Onabanjo receives the Vilcek Prize in Curatorial Work for her work to examine the power, position, and production of Blackness in relation to the unfinished global history of the photographic medium.