Awards & Winners

Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

Pulitzer Prize

Check all the winners of Pulitzer Prize for Criticism presented under Pulitzer Prize since 1970 .


Inga Saffron

(For her criticism of architecture that blends expertise, civic passion and sheer readability into arguments that consistently stimulate and surprise.)

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Inga Saffron
For her criticism of architecture that blends expertise, civic passion and sheer readability into arguments that consistently stimulate and surprise.
Mary McNamara
For her trenchant and witty television criticism, engaging readers through essays and reviews that feature a conversational style and the force of fresh ideas.
Jenna Graves
For her visual arts criticism that, with elegant and vivid description, informs readers about how to look at the complexities of contemporary art and the world in which it\u2019s made.

Philip Kennicott

(For his eloquent and passionate essays on art and the social forces that underlie it, a critic who always strives to make his topics and targets relevant to readers.)

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Philip Kennicott
For his eloquent and passionate essays on art and the social forces that underlie it, a critic who always strives to make his topics and targets relevant to readers.
Mary McNamara
For her searching television criticism that often becomes a springboard for provocative comments on the culture at large.
Manohla Dargis
For her enlightening movie criticism, vividly written and showing deep understanding of the business and art of filmmaking.

Wesley Morris

(For his smart, inventive film criticism, distinguished by pinpoint prose and an easy traverse between the art house and the big-screen box office.)

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Wesley Morris
For his smart, inventive film criticism, distinguished by pinpoint prose and an easy traverse between the art house and the big-screen box office.
Philip Kennicott
For his ambitious and insightful cultural criticism, taking on topical events from the uprisings in Egypt to the dedication of the Ground Zero memorial, causing readers to reflect on the world around them.
Tobi Tobias
For work that reveals passion as well as deep historical knowledge of dance, her well-expressed arguments coming from the heart as well as the head.

Sebastian Smee

(For his vivid and exuberant writing about art, often bringing great works to life with love and appreciation.)

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sebastian Smee
For his vivid and exuberant writing about art, often bringing great works to life with love and appreciation.
Jonathan Gold
For his delightful, authoritative restaurant reviews, escorting readers through a city\u2019s diverse food culture.
Nicolai Ouroussoff
For his well honed architectural criticism, highlighted by ambitious essays on the burst of architectural projects in oil-rich Middle East countries.

Sarah Kaufman

(For her refreshingly imaginative approach to dance criticism, illuminating a range of issues and topics with provocative comments and original insights.)

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sarah Kaufman
For her refreshingly imaginative approach to dance criticism, illuminating a range of issues and topics with provocative comments and original insights.
Michael Feingold
For his engaging, authoritative drama reviews that fuse passion and knowledge as he helps readers understand what makes a play or a performance successful.
A. O. Scott
For his incisive film reviews that, with aplomb, embrace a wide spectrum of movies and often explore their connection to larger issues in society or the arts.

Holland Cotter

(For his wide ranging reviews of art, from Manhattan to China, marked by acute observation, luminous writing and dramatic storytelling.)

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Holland Cotter
For his wide ranging reviews of art, from Manhattan to China, marked by acute observation, luminous writing and dramatic storytelling.
Inga Saffron
For her fascinating and convincing architectural critiques that boldly confront important topics, from urban planning issues to the newest skyscraper.
Sebastian Smee
For his fresh, accessible and energetic reviews on the New England art scene, creating for readers a sense of discovery even as he provides discerning analysis.

Mark Feeney

(For his penetrating and versatile command of the visual arts, from film and photography to painting.)

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mark Feeney
For his penetrating and versatile command of the visual arts, from film and photography to painting.
Ann Hornaday
For her perceptive movie reviews and essays, reflecting solid research and an easy, engaging style.
Inga Saffron
For her forceful critiques that illuminate the vital interplay between architecture and the life of her city.

Jonathan Gold

(For his zestful, wide ranging restaurant reviews, expressing the delight of an erudite eater.)

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jonathan Gold
For his zestful, wide ranging restaurant reviews, expressing the delight of an erudite eater.
Christopher Knight
For his pieces on art that reflect meticulous reporting, aesthetic judgment and authoritative voice.
Mark Swed
For his passionate music criticism, marked by resonant writing and an ability to give life to the people behind a performance.

Robin Givhan

(For her witty, closely observed essays that transform fashion criticism into cultural criticism.)

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robin Givhan
For her witty, closely observed essays that transform fashion criticism into cultural criticism.
Nicolai Ouroussoff
For his graceful, contemplative and wide ranging critiques of architecture and urban design from New Orleans to Berlin.
Jerry Saltz
For his fresh, down-to-earth pieces on the visual arts and other cultural topics.

Joe Morgenstern

(For his reviews that elucidated the strengths and weaknesses of film with rare insight, authority and wit.)

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joe Morgenstern
For his reviews that elucidated the strengths and weaknesses of film with rare insight, authority and wit.
Frank Rich
For boldly exploring the influence of popular culture on American politics and society.
Carlin Romano
For bringing new vitality to the classic essay across a formidable array of topics.

Dan Neil

(For his one-of-a-kind reviews of automobiles, blending technical expertise with offbeat humor and astute cultural observations.)

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dan Neil
For his one-of-a-kind reviews of automobiles, blending technical expertise with offbeat humor and astute cultural observations.
Nicolai Ouroussoff
For his versatile architectural criticism that stretched from his hometown's new Disney Hall to the rubble in Baghdad, where he pondered the ancient city's resurrection.
Inga Saffron
For her passionate and insightful architectural criticism that, through clear, elegant writing, was as accessible to the ordinary reader as it was to the expert.

Stephen Hunter

(For his authoritative film criticism that is both intellectually rewarding and a pleasure to read.)

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stephen Hunter
For his authoritative film criticism that is both intellectually rewarding and a pleasure to read.
John King
For his perceptive, passionate criticism of architecture and urban design and their impact on life in his city.
Nicolai Ouroussoff
For his commanding reviews and essays on architectural development and preservation in an ever-evolving city.

Justin Davidson

(For his crisp coverage of classical music that captures its essence.)

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Justin Davidson
For his crisp coverage of classical music that captures its essence.
John King
For his forcefully-expressed and engaging essays illustrating the role that architecture and urban design plays in the life of his city.
Joe Morgenstern
For his witty and commanding criticism of contemporary films.

Gail Caldwell

(For her insightful observations on contemporary life and literature.)

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gail Caldwell The Boston Globe
For her insightful observations on contemporary life and literature.
Christopher Knight Los Angeles Times
For his passionate and publi'minded art criticism.
Jerry Saltz The Village Voice
For his fresh and engaging views on contemporary art.

Henry Allen

(For his fresh and authoritative writing on photography.)

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Henry Allen
For his fresh and authoritative writing on photography.
Michael Kimmelman
For his gracefully-written observations on art and artists.
Andrew Sarris
For his informed and enlightening film criticism.

Blair Kamin

(For his lucid coverage of city architecture, including an influential series supporting the development of Chicago's lakefront area.)

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Blair Kamin
For his lucid coverage of city architecture, including an influential series supporting the development of Chicago's lakefront area.
Henry Allen
For his illuminating criticism of photography and painting.
Gail Caldwell
For her compelling observations on books and popular culture.
Justin Davidson
For his fresh and vivid writing on classical music and its makers.

Michiko Kakutani

(For her passionate, intelligent writing on books and contemporary literature.)

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michiko Kakutani
For her passionate, intelligent writing on books and contemporary literature
Dorothy Rabinowitz
For her tough-minded, critical columns on television and its place in politics and culture.
Peter Rainer
For his versatile and perceptive writing about film.

Tim Page

(For his lucid and illuminating music criticism.)

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tim Page
For his lucid and illuminating music criticism.
Herbert Muschamp
For his criticism of architecture in America, written with devotion to the art, penetrating analysis and literate style.
Leslie Savan
For her analytical columns about the forces at work behind advertising and consumerism, particularly on television.

Robert Campbell

(For his knowledgeable writing on architecture.)

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Campbell
For his knowledgeable writing on architecture.
Gail Caldwell
For her insightful reviews and comments on books and the literary scene.
Stephen Hunter
For his distinguished film criticism.

Margo Jefferson

(For her book reviews and other cultural criticism.)

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margo Jefferson
For her book reviews and other cultural criticism.
Stephen Hunter
For his film criticism.
Dorothy Rabinowitz
For her writing about television.

Lloyd Schwartz

(For his skillful and resonant classical music criticism.)

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lloyd Schwartz
For his skillful and resonant classical music criticism.
Henry Allen
For his imaginative and varied cultural criticism.
Matt Zoller Seitz
For his lucid and insightful film criticism.

Michael Dirda

(For his book reviews.)

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Dirda
For his book reviews
Gail Caldwell
For her literary and social criticism.
Leonard Pitts
For critical articles on popular music and culture.

David Shaw

(For his critiques of the way in which the media, including his own paper, reported the McMartin preschool trial.)

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
David Shaw
For his critiques of the way in which the media, including his own paper, reported the McMartin Pre-School child molestation case.
Christopher Knight
For his columns on art and artists.
Joyce Millman
For her television criticism.
Leslie Savan
For perceptive articles critiquing various forms of advertising.

Allan Temko

(For his architecture criticism.)

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Allan Temko
For his architecture criticism.
Jory Farr
For his pop music criticism.
Wayne Lee Gay
For his critical coverage of the 1989 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

Michael Skube

(For his writing about books and other literary topics.)

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Skube
For his writing about books and other literary topics.
Joyce Millman
For her criticism of television and other subjects.
David Richards
For his theater criticism.

Tom Shales

(For his television criticism.)

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tom Shales
For his television criticism.
Michael Skube
For his book reviews.
Allan Temko
For his architecture criticism.

Richard Eder

(For his book reviews.)

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Richard Eder
For his book reviews.
Frank Rich
For his theater criticism.
Andrew Sarris
For his film criticism.

Donal Henahan

(For his music criticism.)

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Donal Henahan
For his music criticism.
Richard D. Christiansen
For his theater criticism.
Richard Eder
For his book reviews.

Howard Rosenberg

(For his television criticism.)

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Howard Rosenberg
For his television criticism.
James Chute
For his classical music criticism.
Margaret Manning
For her book reviews.

Paul Goldberger

(For architectural criticism.)

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Paul Goldberger
For architectural criticism.
Dan Cryer
For his book reviews.
Ken Tucker
For pop music criticism.

Manuela Hoelterhoff

(For her wide-ranging criticism on the arts and other subjects.)

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Manuela Hoelterhoff
For her wide-ranging criticism on the arts and other subjects.
Beth Dunlop
For architectural criticism.
Stephen Schiff
For film criticism.

Martin Bernheimer

(For classical music criticism.)

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Bernheimer
For classical music criticism.
Marvin Kitman
For television criticism.
Donal Henahan
For music criticism.

Jonathan Yardley

(For his book reviews.)

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jonathan Yardley
For his book reviews.
Henry Kisor
Allan Temko

William A. Henry III

(For critical writing about television.)

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
William A. Henry III
For critical writing about television.
William C. Glackin
William K. Robertson

Paul Gapp

(For architectural criticism.)

Walter Kerr

(For articles on the theater in 1977 and throughout his long career.)

William McPherson

(For his contribution to 'Book World.')

Alan M. Kriegsman

(For his critical writing about dance during 1975.)

Roger Ebert

(For his film criticism during 1974.)

Emily Genauer

(For her critical writing about art and artists.)

Ron Powers

(For his critical writing about television during 1972.)

Frank Peters Jr.

(For his music criticism during 1971.)

Harold C. Schonberg

(For his music criticism during 1970.)

Ada Louise Huxtable

(For distinguished criticism during 1969.)