New York Academy of Art

New York – November 06, 2026 -- AXA XL awarded the $10,000 first prize of the 2026 AXA Art Prize US to Rumi Agarwal of Pratt Institute, chosen from nearly 600 submissions from 132 institutions nationwide.

Cleveland Institute of Art's Ashton Burton wins $5,000 second prize

Agarwal won for "The Night Wears Prussian Blue." Ashton Burton of the Cleveland Institute of Art took second prize for "Threaded Roots."

Three honorable mentions went to Chelsea Harris of Cranbrook Academy of Art ("En Route"), Kelly Micca of the New York Academy of Art ("Death Valley") and Noah Volk of the University of North Carolina Asheville ("Telophase").