Twenty-three artists have been named 2026 semifinalists for the prestigious Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, Create Baltimore announced Monday.
The winning visual artist or visual artist collaborators will receive $30,000.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Sondheim Art Prize, which is presented by Create Baltimore (formerly the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, or BOPA) in partnership with the Walters Art Museum and supported by the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC).
The artists and collaborators selected for the semifinal round are: Sarina Angell, Mollye Bendell, Thea Canlas, Leigh Davis, Anna Divinagracia, Brandon Donahue-Shipp, Elliot Doughtie, Emily Francisco, Curran Hatleberg, Chung-Wei Huang, Tae Hwang, Noël Kassewitz, Mo Kessler, Michelle Shenyu Li, Noah McWilliams, Daniela Mileykovsky, Emily Hanako Momohara, Danni O’Brien, David Page, Kristin Putchinski, Edgar Reyes, Joana Stillwell, and Pamela J. Thompson.
Semifinalists have been asked to share an expanded submission of up to 30 images or time-based works, as well as an explanation of how they plan to use the fellowship if they are selected.
Jurors Lauren Haynes, Jinny Khanduja, and Shellyne will narrow the field of artists to five finalists, whose work will be exhibited at the Walters Art Museum from June through September. Finalists will also each be awarded $3,000.
Semifinalists who are not selected as finalists will receive an exhibition at Artscape 2026, which will run Memorial Day weekend, May 23 and 24.
Previous winners have spanned artistic disciplines. Last year’s winner, Amanda Leigh Burnham, was awarded for her three-dimensional collages that jurors said seemed to “leap off the walls.”
The prize is named in honor of Janet and Walter Sondheim, a couple who were prominent figures in arts and cultural communities. Janet danced with the Denishawn Dancers. Her husband, Walter, was involved in the development of Charles Center and the Inner Harbor and served as the senior advisor to the Greater Baltimore Committee.
