Image: Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
The 2026 BRAVA Award winners are Gabriel Zea, RYAN! Feddersen, Inge Bruggeman, and Priscilla Dobler Dzul. This year’s recipients represent the categories of Emerging Artist, Native American & First Nations Artist, Artists’ Books Artist, and Ceramics Artist.
Each recipient will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funding to provide meaningful support for their creative work. BRAVA—“BIMA Recognizes Achievement in the Visual Arts”—honors contemporary artists, craftspeople, and makers whose work reflects exceptional artistic vision, technical skill, and meaningful contributions to their field. In addition to the award, recipients receive recognition in BIMA media, a short video about their work, an invitation to participate in an award ceremony at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, and an invitation to serve on the following year’s review panel.
The Native American & First Nations Artist award supports contemporary visual artists and craftspeople who self-identify as Native American and/or First Nations and work across disciplines including painting, sculpture, weaving, carving, printmaking, photography, video, performance art, beading, installation, pottery, and mixed media or collaborative projects. The Artists’ Books award encompasses works that incorporate the concept of the book and may invite engagement through interpretation, manipulation, or storytelling over time, including small-edition works and unique one-of-a-kind objects. The Ceramics Artist award recognizes functional, sculptural, and conceptual approaches to clay, including wheel-thrown, hand-built, slip-cast, experimental, and interdisciplinary ceramic work.
