The Artists' Legacy Foundation announced that Mildred Howard has been awarded its 2026 Artist Award, an unrestricted $25,000 prize given annually to a major painter or sculptor whose work "shows evidence of the hand." Howard is known for her public art across the Bay Area and a diverse practice spanning assemblage, collage, sculpture, and installation.
Howard's work has drawn on salvaged objects and their histories to address the Black American experience. She has also served as a mentor to generations of local artists and been active in her community.
In a statement, Howard said the award "was a complete surprise and it comes at the perfect time." She added that the funding "will assist in helping me to continue my practice" and that "to be able to have support in these unsettling times is crucial to most artists."
Previous recipients of the Artist Award include Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Howardena Pindell, and Suzan Frecon, among others.
