News / Events

Patti Smith was named Officier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur by the French ambassador to the United States, Philippe Étienne, on May 21, 2022. Reflecting the multifaceted contours of French society, the Légion d’honneur is the country’s highest order of merit. For two centuries, it has been presented on behalf of the Head of State to reward the most deserving citizens in all fields of activity.

Patti Smith was named the Literature Innovator at the 2020 WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards on November 11, 2020. This year marked the tenth anniversary of the awards, which recognize inspiring talents from a variety of cultural pursuits. The poet, artist, and award-winning memoirist and musician was honored for the indelible mark she has made on American letters and for her decades of revelatory work. Actor Ethan Hawke presented the award during the ceremony, which was filmed this year due to covid-19 restrictions. To watch the ceremony, visit the WSJ Magazine’s YouTube channel.

The Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Arts (CIRCA), a platform established in 2020 to present digital art in the public space, has launched the third edition of the CIRCA Prize, which calls for artists of all ages to respond to the CIRCA 20:23 manifesto on hope. Throughout September, thirty international artists will see their work appear at 20:23 (8:23pm) local time on London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights and across a global network of digital screens, following in the footsteps of CIRCA-commissioned artists such as Douglas Gordon and Patti Smith. A jury of artists and collaborators, including Gordon, will select the winner, who will receive £30,000 to support their future practice as well as a new trophy designed by Ai Weiwei.