The Bridgemaker Prize

Recognizing our museum partners for their outstanding work reflecting the foundation’s core pillars of art sharing and community engagement.

About

The Bridgemaker Prize recognizes museums that embody the mission and values of Art Bridges through exceptional art sharing and community engagement.

Through this initiative, we aim to increase the visibility of Art Bridges’ programs at exemplary partner institutions; strengthen relationships with our museum partners while showcasing their impact; and inspire museums nationwide to push boundaries, build stronger communities, share their collections more broadly, and champion the transformative power of art.

“The Bridgemaker Prize is an opportunity to highlight the incredible work being done by our partners across the country to make art accessible, meaningful, and transformative for all. Each awardee has used Art Bridges’ support to tell a new story about American art, whether it be by uplifting underrepresented voices or reimagining the way we approach familiar works.” — Anne Kraybill, CEO

In the second year of the prize, we highlighted audience growth and meaningful engagement. Museum partners were invited to self-nominate in one of three categories:

Engagement: Expanding access and connecting with community audiences through programs supported by Art Bridges
Growth: Increasing annual attendance through art-sharing and community engagement projects supported by Art Bridges
Innovation: Pioneering programs supported by Art Bridges that reach new audiences and demonstrate lasting impact

Each winner received an award of $75,000 to support future projects in alignment with Art Bridges’ mission. In addition to the monetary prize, the recipients will have their work featured across our digital platforms, expanding their reach and inspiring museums nationwide to strengthen their role as trusted community anchors.

The San Diego Museum of Art

Through its partnership with Art Bridges, The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) has more than tripled its community engagement between 2024 and 2026, with a 250% increase from 2024 to 2025 alone. The museum's efforts have focused on strengthening relationships with historically underserved communities — including people with refugee backgrounds, people who are binational or neurodivergent, and people with disabilities — across the San Diego–Tijuana region through co-created programming with over 25 local partners. By addressing barriers, such as transportation, language, and cultural unfamiliarity, SDMA welcomed approximately 7,000 new visitors from these underserved populations in 2024, most of whom were visiting the museum for the first time. The impact of our partnership deepened when SDMA reimagined its community engagement model based on direct feedback from the audiences it aims to serve.

Visit San Diego Museum of Artabout The San Diego Museum of Art

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art leveraged its partnership with Art Bridges to develop the Art Maze, an interactive gallery experience designed to engage new family audiences. Inspired by artworks from three previous projects supported by Art Bridges, the initiative combined regional murals, gallery activities, and playful challenges, helping double the share of family audiences from 15% in 2024 to 30% in 2025. The project contributed to record-setting attendance in 2025, generating nearly 37,000 interactions through visits, paid programs, and outreach. The success of the maze has transformed the museum's approach to audience engagement, positioning The Westmoreland as a welcoming destination and inspiring a new series of immersive experiences intended to cultivate a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

Visit Westmoreland Museum of American Artabout The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

Eligibility

Partners must have a Partner Profile and at least one completed project with Art Bridges. For a project to be defined as “completed,” the partner must have received Art Bridges funding to implement art-sharing or community engagement programming and submitted a final report.

Selection Process

All partners and their projects are evaluated by Art Bridges’ staff using mission-aligned criteria, ensuring a fair and structured assessment based on impact, innovation, and alignment with the foundation's values.

Impact: How well the project(s) increase art access, engage new and/or established audiences, and demonstrate long-term sustainability
Innovation: How well the project(s) exemplify creative risk-taking in the field through pilot initiatives
Alignment: How well the project(s) reflect and advance Art Bridges’ goal of delivering access to meaningful art experiences that foster personal and community well-being

Recipient Gallery

Learn more about the inaugural Bridgemaker Prize recipients — the Hudson River Museum, Peoria Riverfront Museum, and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art — and explore how they've leveraged their partnerships with Art Bridges to expand access to American art, engage their communities, and amplify the impact of their collections through innovative collaboration and programming.

For examples of how our museum partners have developed creative initiatives that reach new audiences and strengthen community engagement, visit the Idea Center.