Entertainer and activist Bette Midler has been named the 2026 recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize, recognising her career-long dedication to social change, humanitarian advocacy and the arts, per spinmagazine.com.
The Woody Guthrie Center will present the award on October 16 at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The ceremony will feature remarks from Guthrie family members, a conversation between Midler and music journalist Rona Elliot, and a solo acoustic performance by singer-songwriter Bryan Andrews.
Established in 2014, the annual prize honours artists who use their platforms to advance social justice, following in the tradition of folk icon Woody Guthrie. Previous recipients include Bruce Springsteen, U2, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Chuck D.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Midler praised Guthrie as one of America’s finest figures who lit the way for justice and advocated for the powerless. She highlighted his song “I Ain’t Got No Home in This World Anymore” and recently collaborated on a re-recording of “All You Fascists Bound to Lose”. Nora Guthrie commended Midler for consistently directing her talents toward people who are historically unseen or ignored.
Alongside an extensive career spanning music, film and theatre—including four Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and more than 30 million record sales—Midler has a decades-long record of activism. She has championed environmental conservation, public health and LGBTQ+ rights, and founded the New York Restoration Project in 1995 to preserve green spaces in New York City.
The presentation event serves as the Woody Guthrie Center’s primary annual fundraiser. Tickets will go on sale to centre members on August 28, with proceeds funding educational programmes, public exhibitions and community outreach.
•Featured image: Bette Midler/spinmagazine.com