Kosovar Artist Petrit Halilaj Wins Nasher Prize Donating $100,000 to Hajde! Foundation

Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj has been awarded the prestigious 2027 Nasher Prize by the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, becoming the youngest recipient of the biannual $100,000 award. Known for his sculptures and installations that blend personal history with the political realities of Kosovo, Halilaj's work often contrasts childhood innocence with the trauma of war, drawing on his experience of displacement during the Kosovo War. In a notable gesture, Halilaj has pledged to donate the entire prize money to the Hajde! Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded to support Kosovar artists and rebuild Kosovo's House of Culture, which was destroyed during the war. Despite facing challenges such as a suspected arson attack on his opera production in Kosovo, Halilaj remains committed to advancing culture and peace, expressing solidarity with those affected by conflict worldwide. His upcoming projects include an exhibition at the Nasher and continuing to foster cultural resilience in Kosovo through his foundation. The award not only recognizes his artistic achievements but also amplifies his mission to create spaces for imagination and healing through art.