The Distinguished Alumni Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Academy and recognizes graduates who have demonstrated creativity, innovation, leadership, and vision through their contributions to the practices of architecture, art, and design, as well as to Cranbrook Academy of Art.

The U.S. National Medal of the Arts

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government. These individuals, through their creativity, inspiration, and hard work, have significantly enriched the cultural life of our nation.

AIGA Medalists

The medal of AIGA is awarded to individuals in recognition of their exceptional achievements in the advancement of the field of design as a respected craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. Medals have been awarded to individuals who have set standards of excellence over a lifetime of work or have made individual contributions to innovation within the practice of design.

American Craft Council College of Fellows

Since 1970, the American Craft Council has recognized significant contributions to the field of craft. Originally designated the Award of Merit, in 1975 the ACC adopted the distinction of Fellow of the Council, the body of awardees known collectively as the College of Fellows. Election to the College of Fellows continues to this day, the award a commitment “to honor those who have made an outstanding contribution to the crafts in America.”

American Craft Council Gold Medal for Consummate Craftmanship

Every two years, as few as one College of Fellows member is recognized with the Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship, an award for a lifetime of achievements, the highest award given by the Council and among the most prestigious in the nation. Gold Medal awardees of the College of Fellows represent the extraordinary among a field of elite craftspeople.

American Institute of Architects (AIA) Gold Medal

The Gold Medal is the AIA’s highest annual honor, recognizing individuals whose work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture. Considered one of the most prestigious awards in the architecture world, the Gold Medal has been received by well renowned architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, Julia Morgan, and Moshe Safdie.

American Institute of Architects (AIA) Twenty-Five Year Award

The Twenty-five Year Award showcases buildings that set a precedent. Conferred on a building that has stood the test of time for 25-35 years and continues to set standards of excellence for its architectural design and significance.

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s National Design Awards honor innovation and impact and recognize the power of design to change the world.

U.S. Fulbright Student Grants

In 2020, the Chronicle of Higher Education once again ranked Cranbrook Academy of Art as a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students. Academy students have now received a total 26 grants over the past 12 years.

Guggenheim Fellows

Guggenheim Fellowships are intended for individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts.

The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award in Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Photography, Video, and Craft Media

The Louis Comfort Tiffany Biennial Competition represents the organization’s continued mission to honor its founder Louis Comfort Tiffany by enriching the growth of and experimentation by artists with direct financial support. The Foundation’s goal is to support artists whose work shows promise, but who have not yet received widespread critical acclaim or commercial recognition, enabling them to produce new work and continue their development. Winners are selected for their talent, promise, and individual artistic strength.

Society of North America Goldsmiths (SNAG) Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is SNAG’s highest honor and is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of metalsmithing.

Knight Foundation Award Recipients

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge funds the best ideas for engaging and enriching Detroit through the arts. Over the years, award winners from Cranbrook have earned more than half a million dollars in funding for projects.

Kresge Eminent Artist Award

Kresge Eminent Artist Award is an unrestricted $50,000 prize awarded to one artist annually. It recognizes a distinguished record of high-quality work and professional achievement in the arts, and a lifetime of contributions to their art forms and to the cultural community of metro Detroit.

Kresge Artist Fellows

Kresge Artist Fellowships are $25,000 unrestricted awards, plus professional development support and the creation of a short film highlighting the artist’s work. Fellowships recognize creative vision and commitment to excellence in artists of all ages within a wide range of artistic disciplines.

The Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grant

The Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grant from Art Jewelry Forum is an international opportunity established by San Francisco-based collector Susan Beech. The $20,000 grant is to recognize a mid-career artist who has made a substantial contribution to the field and to provide resources for the artist to develop and implement a significant jewelry-related project that she/he would not otherwise have the ability to undertake.

United States Artists (USA) Fellows

Representing nine creative disciplines, each USA Fellow receives an unrestricted $50,000 award and recognition as one of America’s most accomplished and innovative artists.

Ellsworth Kelly Award

The Ellsworth Kelly Award supports museum exhibitions for contemporary artists. This award is endowed by the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation in memory of the artist. Established in 2016, the Ellsworth Kelly Award is a $45,000 grant to support a solo exhibition of a contemporary visual artist at a U.S. art museum, university, or college art gallery.

United States Department of State International Medal of Arts

The International Medal of Arts is awarded to artists who demonstrate an enduring commitment to the Art in Embassies mission of cultural diplomacy through the visual arts and international cultural exchange. Recipients have helped define America’s cultural legacy through their artistic excellence and diplomatic contributions. Their artwork serves as a bridge with other nations, encourages discussion and expression and highlights the communal experiences of people from countries, cultures, and backgrounds worldwide.

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Emerging Artist Award (2005-2019)

Cranbrook was honored to partner with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, for nearly 20 years, in which the organization supported graduating Cranbrook Academy of Art students with cash awards, and selected one student for a summer residency in Küenstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, which included introductions to important members of the international art and business communities. The last year of the program was 2020.