Each June, Rome’s Villa Aurelia becomes more than a historic villa on the Janiculum Hill—it becomes the site of one of Italy’s leading cultural evenings. The McKim Medal Gala, first held twenty years ago, is the American Academy in Rome’s annual recognition of outstanding achievement in the arts and humanities, and of the lasting dialogue between Italy and the United States.
Named for architect Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), the medal honors individuals whose work reflects the values behind AAR’s founding in 1894: artistic excellence, intellectual rigor, and international exchange. McKim believed that American artists and scholars should work in Rome to advance their practice and deepen cultural ties—a belief that still shapes the Academy today.
Since 2005, the McKim Medal has gone to a wide range of figures—architects, filmmakers, poets, curators, composers, designers, and chefs—whose work expands how we see and understand the world.
The gala takes place at the seventeenth-century Villa Aurelia, echoing AAR’s own blend of historical roots and contemporary ideas. Up to five hundred guests from cultural, political, and diplomatic circles gather for an evening that mixes elegance with creative flair—Bob Wilson’s custom chandeliers in 2019 and a menu by Alice Waters in 2015 among the highlights.
The medal itself was designed by artist Cy Twombly, an early honoree. It is handcrafted each year by Bvlgari, symbolizing the kind of artistic collaboration the Academy fosters.
At its core, the gala is a fundraiser. Proceeds support AAR fellowships that allow artists and scholars to live and work in Rome, helping sustain the next generation of creative work.
This year’s honorees—Virgilio Sacchini, a leader in medical science, and filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore—reflect the event’s range. Though they come from different fields, both share a humanistic vision that aligns with the spirit of the McKim Medal.
Twenty years after its founding, the gala continues to recognize people who move culture and humanity forward—across borders and disciplines—and reminds us that the creative life, and the many methods of inquiry, are always shaped by exchange.
All McKim Medal Recipients
2025: Virgilio Sacchini (oncologist) and Giuseppe Tornatore (filmmaker)
2024: Sofia Coppola (filmmaker)
2023: Massimo Bottura (chef)
2022: Cecilia Alemani (curator) and Matteo Garrone (filmmaker)
2021: Gala not held due to global events
2020: Gala not held due to global events
2019: Paola Antonelli (curator) and Luca Guadagnino (filmmaker)
2018: Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor) and Roberto Benigni (actor and filmmaker)
2017: Giuseppe Penone (artist), Dante Ferretti (set designer), and Francesca Lo Schiavo (set decorator)
2016: Patrizia Cavalli (poet) and Giorgio Moroder (composer and performer)
2015: Carlo Petrini (founder, Slow Food Movement) and Paolo Sorrentino (filmmaker)
2014: Zaha Hadid (architect)
2013: Bernardo Bertolucci (filmmaker)
2012: Riccardo Muti (conductor)
2011: Luigi Ontani (artist)
2010: Miuccia Prada (fashion designer)
2009: Ennio Morricone (composer)
2008: Franco Zeffirelli (filmmaker)
2007: Umberto Eco (writer)
2006: Cy Twombly (artist)
2005: Renzo Piano (architect)
