Artios Awards (Casting Society)

Overview

The Artios Awards honor outstanding achievement in casting for film, television, theater, commercials, and new media. Presented by Casting Society (CSA), the awards recognize casting directors whose work shapes every production yet has historically received limited recognition at mainstream ceremonies. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences introduced a Best Casting Oscar for the first time in 2026, making the Artios the primary peer recognition for casting professionals for four decades before the Oscar category existed.

The 41st annual Artios Awards were held on February 26, 2026, across three simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles (The Beverly Hilton, hosted by Harvey Guillen), New York (The Edison Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Hiller), and London (One Moorgate Place, hosted by Jessica Gunning). The combined ceremonies hosted over 1,500 guests. CSA currently has close to 1,200 members across the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa.

Film winners in 2026 included Sinners (Big Budget Feature Drama, cast by Francine Maisler), Jay Kelly (Big Budget Feature Comedy, cast by Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold), Zootopia 2 (Animated Feature, cast by Grace C. Kim), Sentimental Value (Studio or Independent Feature Drama, cast by Avy Kaufman), and Sorry, Baby (Low Budget Feature, cast by Jessica Kelly). Television winners included Severance Season 2, The Pitt, The Studio, Hacks Season 4, and Adolescence.

Key Categories

The Artios Awards split film categories by budget level and genre, reflecting the different casting challenges at each tier:

Feature Film:

• Big Budget Feature: Comedy and Big Budget Feature: Drama
• Studio or Independent Feature: Comedy and Studio or Independent Feature: Drama
• Animated Feature
• International Feature
• Low Budget Feature: Comedy or Drama
• Film, First Released for Television or Streaming

Television (Scripted and Unscripted):

• Television Series: Comedy and Television Series: Drama
• Television Pilot and First Season: Comedy and Television Pilot and First Season: Drama
• Limited Series
• Reality Series: Competition and Reality Series: Structured and Unstructured
• Live Action Children and Family Series
• Animated Program for Television
• International Television Series

Additional Categories:

• Short Film
• Short Form Series
• Commercials
• Broadway: Comedy or Drama and Broadway: Musical
• New York Theater: Comedy or Drama and New York Theater: Musical
• London Theatre
• Los Angeles Theater
• Regional Theater
• Theater Tours

Special Awards:

• 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." CSA established the awards to give casting directors a dedicated recognition platform at a time when no major ceremony honored their work specifically. The awards expanded from a single Los Angeles ceremony to include New York and, starting in 2026, London, reflecting CSA's growing international membership.

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, including the different challenges of casting a $200 million studio film versus a low-budget independent feature.

The 2026 Artios Awards carried additional significance as the first ceremony following the Academy's announcement of the Best Casting Oscar category. Francine Maisler's win for Sinners added momentum to her Oscar campaign, as it was the only film among the Oscar nominees to win in an eligible Artios category. The 40th anniversary ceremony in 2025 had seen film wins for Wicked (Big Budget Comedy), A Complete Unknown (Big Budget Drama), Emilia Perez (International Feature), and Conclave (Studio or Independent Drama).

Eligibility and Submission

CSA members and non-members can submit work for Artios consideration. Key eligibility details:

• Submissions are typically open in the fall preceding the February ceremony
• Categories are defined by budget level, format, and genre, with specific thresholds for "Big Budget" versus "Studio or Independent" versus "Low Budget"
• Casting directors, associate casting directors, and location casting directors are all eligible for recognition on submitted projects
• Voting is conducted by CSA membership
• The eligibility period generally covers works released or aired within the calendar year preceding the ceremony

The budget thresholds for film categories are defined by CSA and updated periodically. Filmmakers should consult the CSA website for current submission deadlines and category definitions.

Significance for Filmmakers

For casting directors, the Artios Award is the highest peer recognition in their discipline. An Artios nomination or win signals to producers, directors, and studios that a casting director's work has been identified by their peers as exceptional. For directors and producers, Artios nominees and winners represent a vetted list of casting professionals whose work has been evaluated by the people who understand the craft best: other casting directors.

The budget-tier category structure means casting directors working at every level of the industry can be recognized. A casting director who excels at finding non-professional actors for a $250,000 micro-budget feature competes in a different category than one casting a $150 million studio tentpole, acknowledging that the skills required differ substantially.

The 2026 Artios winners also demonstrated the awards' predictive value for the Oscars: Sinners won Big Budget Feature Drama at the Artios before going on to lead the Oscar nominations with 16 nods, including Best Picture. The Artios for Sentimental Value (Studio or Independent Drama, cast by Avy Kaufman) also provided a data point in the Best International Feature Oscar race.

Recent Notable Film Winners

Past Winners and What They Won With

The Artios Awards are presented annually by the Casting Society of America (CSA), recognizing excellence in casting across film, television, and theater. The 41st Artios Awards (2026) honored Sinners (Francine Maisler, Big Budget Feature: Drama) and Jay Kelly (Douglas Aibel and Nina Gold, Big Budget Feature: Comedy). The 40th Artios Awards (2025) honored A Complete Unknown (Yesi Ramirez, Big Budget Feature: Drama) and Wicked (Bernard Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield, Big Budget Feature: Comedy). The Artios Awards cover categories including Big Budget Feature (Drama and Comedy), Studio or Independent Feature (Drama and Comedy), Television Series (Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series), Theater (Broadway and Regional), and Short Film. The ceremony is held annually in Los Angeles and New York, with simultaneous ceremonies on both coasts. The CSA was founded in 1982 and represents casting directors across the US and internationally.

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

The Artios Awards are voted by members of the Casting Society of America, making them a peer-recognition award for casting directors. The distinction between Big Budget Feature and Studio or Independent Feature categories reflects the different casting challenges and resources available at different budget levels. The awards recognize the casting director's creative contribution to assembling ensembles, discovering new talent, and matching actors to roles, a craft that no other major awards body specifically acknowledges. For casting directors, an Artios Award is the highest professional recognition available. For filmmakers, the Artios Awards identify productions where casting choices elevated the material, which can be a useful signal when evaluating casting directors for future projects. Submissions are made by CSA members or by production companies on behalf of casting directors. The eligibility period is based on the production's release or premiere date.

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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. For official Artios rules and submission information, visit castingsociety.com.