Choreographer Sidra Bell to Receive Yaddo Artist Medal

Choreographer, dancer, and performance artist Sidra Bell has been named one of the recipients of the 2025 Yaddo Artist Medal, recognizing her pioneering contributions to contemporary dance and her influence on emerging generations of artists.

The award ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. The evening will feature dinner, cocktails, and music from DJ Dina Regine, with Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and Yaddo artist Michael R. Jackson serving as host.

Alongside Bell, Yaddo will honor visual artist and sculptor Jill Viney and Langston Hughes (posthumously), celebrating their enduring artistic legacies and generosity of spirit.

Bell’s impact extends far beyond her choreography. Through her company Sidra Bell Dance New York, her teaching methodology Contemporary Systems, and her collaborations across disciplines, she has pushed boundaries of form, identity, and expression.

The Yaddo Artist Medal has previously recognized luminaries such as Laurie Anderson, Philip Roth, and Amy Hempel. By honoring Bell, Viney, and Hughes, Yaddo continues its tradition of celebrating artists whose brilliance is matched by their contributions to the wider creative community.