ROTTERDAM, 21 April 2026 – The winners of De Rotterdamse Kunstprijzen (Rotterdam Art Awards) were unveiled at a ceremony in Rotterdam City Hall on Tuesday. The new joint format brought the Brutus Prizes, the Hendrik Chabot Prize and the Dolf Henkes Prize together in one public moment for the first time.
Image: Winners of the 2026 Rotterdamse KunstPrijzen. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
The first edition of De Rotterdamse Kunstprijzen took place with mayor Carola Schouten presenting the awards and moderator Evita de Roode leading the ceremony. Although the prizes now share one stage, each still keeps its own place within the wider Rotterdam art landscape. The result is a broader view of the city’s art scene, spanning established artists, younger makers, social art practice and independent art criticism.
The first edition of the Rotterdamse KunstPrijzen 2026 award ceremony was held at Rotterdam City Hall. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
Jason Hendrik Hansma wins Brutus Prize
The Brutus Prize 2026 went to Jason Hendrik Hansma. The jury praised the consistency, depth and international relevance of his work, as well as the way he handles context, time and material with close attention. His practice was recognised for making complex and urgent themes accessible without losing artistic sharpness. The Brutus Prize includes €4,000, a sculpture and a solo exhibition.
Jason Hendrik Hansma wins Brutus Prize. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
Jeroen Bosch takes new criticism prize
A second Brutus award went to Jeroen Bosch, who received the first Brutus Lifetime Achievement Prize for Art Criticism. The new prize was created to strengthen the position of independent art criticism. The jury selected Bosch from a longlist of 25 names and praised his independent voice, persistence and recognisable style. Through his online platform Trendbeheer, he has spent years publishing sharply written pieces on gallery shows, graduation exhibitions, publications, projects and wider developments in the art world.
Jeroen Bosch wins the first Brutus Lifetime Achievement Prize for Art Criticism. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
Silvia B receives Hendrik Chabot Prize
The Hendrik Chabot Prize 2026 was awarded to Silvia B. The jury described her influence on Rotterdam’s art climate as substantial and lasting, pointing to a body of work with a clear visual identity and long-term impact. Her work was praised for its layered treatment of themes such as vulnerability and humanity. The jury also highlighted her continued support for other artists and her wider contribution to the cultural field in Rotterdam.
Silvia B wins the Hendrik Chabot Prize. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
Jaasír Linger wins Dolf Henkes Prize
The Dolf Henkes Prize 2026 went to Jaasír Linger. This biennial prize, worth €12,000, focused this year on social art practice and recognised his role as a storyteller and connector within Rotterdam. Linger was honoured for bringing together generations, cultural makers and diaspora communities through work rooted in Surinamese cultural memory. The jury also highlighted the way he combines music, dance, clothing, food, stories and rituals in shared cultural experiences.
Jaasír Linger wins Dolf Henkes Prize. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn
Do you run a business? RotterdamStyle is looking for a main sponsor. Get exclusive visibility across our website for a fixed fee. Interested? Contact us 🤝
What the Rotterdam art awards show
Together, these awards show how broad and layered Rotterdam’s art world really is. The city has room for established oeuvres, experimental practices, socially engaged work and independent criticism, all developing in direct relationship with Rotterdam itself. That is exactly what the new combined format is trying to make more visible. By presenting the prizes in one ceremony, De Rotterdamse Kunstprijzen puts more public focus on the full range of artistic work being made across the city.
Exhibitions across Rotterdam
The awards do not end at City Hall. Work by laureates and nominees can be seen at different venues across Rotterdam, including Chabot Museum Rotterdam and TENT Rotterdam.
The exhibition of nominees for the Hendrik Chabot Prize runs from 12 April to 13 September 2026 at Chabot Museum Rotterdam. In connection with the Dolf Henkes Prize, TENT Rotterdam is organising public activities and online portraits in and around the city. Brutus will present the premiere of Jason Hendrik Hansma’s newest film project in January 2027, in collaboration with IFFR.
