Israel Artists and Creators Honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Union of Israeli Artists (EMI) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognizing significant contributions to Israeli culture. The awards ceremony, titled "Giving Honor," will take place on Wednesday, December 23, 2026, at the Petah Tikva Cultural Hall.
This year's honorees span various artistic fields. In music, recipients include Nurit Galron, Yitzhak Kala, Rami Danuch, the duo Ra'am (Yisrael Gotsdiner and Beni Rosenbaum), and Gini Rabin. The acting and theater awards will be presented to Shmuel Vilozhny, Eli Yatzpan, and Shifra Milstein.
In the field of dance, Professor Amir Kolban, founder of the Kolban Dance Company, and Dr. Rena Badash, a choreographer and dance scholar, will receive the awards. Additionally, EMI will present a Breakthrough Artist award to singer-songwriter Alma Gov and a Special Contribution to Culture award to Arie Yamini, the outgoing director of the Petah Tikva Cultural Hall.
Irit Frank, Chairwoman of EMI, stated that the Lifetime Achievement Award is a way to thank artists who have shaped Israeli culture and become part of its soundtrack and story. She emphasized that this year's recipients represent a wide spectrum of fields, styles, and generations, each with a unique and profound contribution. Frank also highlighted the event's tradition of connecting generations of creators and spotlighting contemporary work and the future of Israeli culture.
The "Giving Honor 2026" event will be hosted by actor Dan Shapira and is supported by the Petah Tikva Municipality and other sponsors, including Eshkolot, ACUM, the PIL, EILAM, Teddy Shauli, and the family of the late Dudu Dotan.
