The Composer Receives the Award for Turning Beauty Into an Argument for Justice and Protecting Young Artists’ Freedom to Create.
With great beauty comes great responsibility. This appears to be the driving theme of the twenty-first edition of the McKim Medal Gala, the prestigious annual benefit that every year brings together hundreds of distinguished international guests from the cultural, institutional, and business worlds to support the American Academy in Rome, the oldest independent American cultural center overseas.
Hosted in the breathtaking gardens of Villa Aurelia on the Gianicolo hill, against the backdrop of sunset views over Rome, this exclusive soiree gathers guests with a profound cultural mission serving the vital purpose of fundraising for the arts. The annual fundraiser, chaired by Eugenia D’Aurelio, this year raised nearly €1 million in support of the Academy’s fellowships, residencies, and artistic programs.
All proceeds from the evening directly finance the institution’s core mission, specifically funding its renowned Rome Prize and Italian Fellowship programs. These initiatives select visionary artists and scholars, granting them the unique opportunity to live, collaborate, and pursue their work in the inspiring setting of the Eternal City. By honoring exceptional figures who embody the spirit of creative dialogue between Italy and the United States—such as this year’s honoree, the globally acclaimed composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi—this special gathering transforms the eternal beauty of Rome into an active, cross-border engine for dialogue, reflection, and shared human vision for the future.
The McKim Medal—the prestigious award designed by Cy Twombly and crafted by Bulgari—in 2026 takes on an even more symbolic meaning through its commitment to social causes. As Academy President Peter Miller notes: “Ludovico Einaudi has used platforms such as Greenpeace to speak out on climate change, human dignity, and our shared responsibilities toward one another and the planet. He does not do so for effect, but out of genuine conviction. What the Academy honors today is a man who has turned beauty into an argument for justice, awareness, and care.”
Ludovico Einaudi is welcomed with warm applause from the 500 guests attending the Gala. While admitting he is not accustomed to speaking—since he prefers to express himself through music, something attendees will later experience when he performs at the piano in the Secret Garden—he emphasizes how truly wonderful the evening is for him.
He speaks of how the event offers concrete support in protecting and nurturing the work of young artists and scholars within the extraordinary setting of Villa Aurelia. For young people, having such a space and receiving this kind of support is immensely important, as they are too often forced to confront the economic dimensions of their work far too early.
Especially in their formative years, it is essential for them to have the freedom to experiment, to try, to fail, to try again, and to engage with others through the exchange of diverse ideas. It is vital to have the time to deepen one’s thoughts without the pressure of immediate utility or recognition.
Indeed, many of the elements he considers most crucial to his own creative work were born precisely in those moments when he had the time to explore his intuitions without the urgency of achieving a result. Receiving such recognition is therefore a powerful reminder of how important it is to continue cultivating a spirit of freedom and research, with the sole purpose of pursuing thought, beauty, and imagination.
This testimony beautifully echoes the words of AAR Director Aliza Wong, who reminds us that art, in this pivotal historical moment, is above all a form of resistance. In this respect, Rome rises as a symbol of its own essence: a timeless place that, in the face of the world’s challenges, offers hope and keeps beauty alive.
