Founded in 1988 by Japan Art Association, Japan's oldest cultural foundation, the Praemium Imperiale is the only artistic award to cover such diverse disciplines: painting, sculpture, architecture, music and theater / cinema , making it the most prestigious award in the arts. Since 1997, a special award has been given to young artists: the Young Artists Scholarship. Entering its 28th year, the Praemium Imperiale has become a leading forum for the voice of artists; Like the Nobel Prize in the sciences, it enables us to recognize the importance of contemporary art in the world through the universal values it conveys.