Artios Awards (Casting Society of America)
Annual awards from the Casting Society of America honoring outstanding achievement in casting for film, television, and theater across multiple genre categories.
Overview
The Artios Awards honor outstanding achievement in casting for film, television, theater, and new media. Presented by the Casting Society of America, the awards recognize the craft of casting directors whose work is foundational to every production yet receives limited recognition at most mainstream ceremonies. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences introduced a Best Casting Oscar only in 2025, making the Artios the primary peer recognition for casting professionals for nearly four decades.
CSA membership includes casting directors and associates working across all entertainment formats. Members vote on nominees and winners across categories that split recognition by genre and format.
Key Categories
- Outstanding Achievement in Casting -- Big Budget Feature (Drama)
- Outstanding Achievement in Casting -- Big Budget Feature (Comedy)
- Outstanding Achievement in Casting -- Studio or Independent Feature (Drama)
- Outstanding Achievement in Casting -- Studio or Independent Feature (Comedy)
- Outstanding Achievement in Casting -- Animation Feature
- Multiple television categories across drama, comedy, and limited series
- New York Apple Award -- for outstanding contribution to the casting profession
- Career Achievement Award
- Lynn Stalmaster Award -- for innovation in casting
History
The Artios Awards have been presented since 1985, named after the Greek word for "perfectly fitted." The CSA established the awards to give casting directors a dedicated recognition platform at a time when no major ceremony honored their work specifically.
Casting is one of the most consequential creative decisions in filmmaking. A casting director's ability to identify the right actors, anticipate chemistry, and present unexpected choices directly shapes a film's artistic and commercial success. The Artios Awards evaluate this skill through the lens of peer professionals who understand the nuance of the craft.
Significance for Filmmakers
For casting directors, the Artios Award represents the highest peer recognition in their discipline. For directors and producers, Artios nominees represent the casting professionals whose work has been identified by their peers as exceptional, informing hiring decisions for future productions.
See Also
For understanding how casting fits into the production process, see Budget Breakdown for Independent Films. To model production costs, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
