Los Angeles — The J. Paul Getty Trust has awarded its annual Getty Prize to Ann Philbin, director emeritus of the Hammer Museum, in recognition of her transformative contributions to the arts. As part of the honour, Philbin has selected NPR to receive the prize’s accompanying $500,000 grant, with funds distributed among NPR and its Los Angeles affiliates KCRW and LAist to bolster arts and cultural programming.
Since its inception in 2013, the Getty Prize has celebrated visionaries who deepen public engagement with the arts. Previous honorees include architect Frank Gehry, Studio Museum director Thelma Golden, and artist Mark Bradford. The award now also allows recipients to direct a half-million-dollar grant to an arts or education nonprofit of their choice, selected by the Getty Trust Board of Trustees.
“Annie Philbin reshaped the Hammer into a globally influential institution—one that champions bold ideas and artists often overlooked,” said Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust. “Her career, spanning New York and Los Angeles, reflects an unwavering commitment to artistic freedom and innovation.”
During her 25-year tenure at the Hammer, Philbin elevated the museum’s profile through groundbreaking initiatives like the Made in L.A. biennial and Hammer Projects, a platform for emerging artists. She oversaw a significant expansion, adding 40,000 square feet of space, while ensuring free admission and hosting hundreds of public programs annually. Before her work in Los Angeles, she led New York’s Drawing Centre, where she amplified contemporary and historical works on paper.
“This award is significant because it lets me support NPR,” Philbin said. “Their journalism and cultural coverage are vital—now more than ever, as creative expression faces increasing threats.”
The grant will help NPR and its local partners expand arts programming at a critical time. “Public media exists to serve communities,” said NPR president Katherine Maher. “This support underscores the importance of that mission.”
KCRW’s Jennifer Ferro and LAist’s Alejandra Santamaria echoed the sentiment, emphasising the role of public media in reflecting Los Angeles’s diverse cultural landscape. Philbin, NPR, and the stations will be honoured at the Getty Prize dinner on September 29, 2025.
Past recipients of the award include artist Ed Ruscha, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and philanthropist Agnes Gund, among others.