Philbin’s tenure at the Hammer saw the launch of the Hammer Projects series and the Made in L.A. biennial, alongside a $180 million expansion
The J. Paul Getty Trust named Ann Philbin, director emeritus of the Hammer Museum, as the recipient of its 2025 Getty Prize, honoring her transformative work in arts and culture.
Philbin, who directed the Hammer Museum at UCLA for 25 years, selected NPR to receive the prize’s accompanying $500,000 grant, which will be shared with Los Angeles member stations KCRW and LAist to bolster arts and culture programming.
Established in 2013, the Getty Prize, the Trust’s highest honor, recognizes leaders who deepen appreciation of arts and culture, with past recipients including Frank Gehry, Thelma Golden, and Mark Bradford. Since last year, winners have been able to designate a nonprofit for the grant, a decision made by the Getty Trust Board of Trustees. Philbin’s tenure at the Hammer saw the launch of the Hammer Projects series and the Made in L.A. biennial, alongside a $180 million expansion adding 40,000 square feet of space. She also oversaw 300 free annual public programs and built the museum’s global reputation.
Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the Getty Trust, praised Philbin as a “powerhouse” who elevated the Hammer into a vanguard of innovative exhibitions. Philbin, who also led The Drawing Center in New York for nine years, serves on boards for the Foundation for Arts Initiatives and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020.
Philbin expressed gratitude, saying, “To award NPR with the $500,000 grant is a thrill,” citing their fearless journalism amid threats to free expression. NPR CEO Katherine Maher called the grant a validation of public media’s mission to provide free cultural access, while KCRW president Jennifer Ferro and LAist president Alejandra Santamaria highlighted its impact on community programming.
Philbin, NPR, KCRW, and LAist will be honored at a dinner on September 29, at the Getty Center.
Past recipients also include Harold M. Williams, Nancy Englander, Ed Ruscha, and Yo-Yo Ma.
