Taking a Stand for Freedom of the Press—and Artistic Freedom

Two months after Congress voted to cut all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a feeling of triumph radiated throughout the Getty Center on September 29 as National Public Radio (NPR) and its Los Angeles member stations, KCRW and LAist, celebrated receiving a $500,000 grant from Getty.

“This gift,” said Jennifer Ferro, president and CEO of KCRW, “is a down payment on courage.”

Ferro’s words echoed throughout the 2025 Getty Prize Dinner, where this year’s award was formally presented to Ann Philbin, director emerita of the Hammer Museum. The Getty Prize, first established in 2013 as the Getty Medal and renamed in 2024, recognizes cultural leaders and creators whose work expands the appreciation of arts and culture.

As her reward for winning, Philbin was invited to choose a nonprofit to receive a $500,000 grant from Getty. She chose NPR, KCRW, and LAist: champions of free speech at a time when their work is more important, and more at risk, than ever.

Before Philbin and the leaders of NPR, KCRW, and LAist accepted their awards, 300 members of the Getty, arts, and public radio communities gathered at the Getty Center Arrival Plaza for a sunset cocktail reception. KCRW DJ Novena Carmel provided a lively soundtrack, and attendees were invited to use vintage typewriters to compose messages of congratulations to the award recipients. After a welcome from Getty Board Chair Robert Lovelace, guests enjoyed dinner under the stars in the Museum Courtyard.

Getty President and CEO Katherine E. Fleming took the stage to introduce Philbin, who she revealed had offered her some much-needed encouragement and a little “edgy advice” when Fleming first began her role at Getty. “She said, ‘You’re going to do great.’ And then somewhat more ominously, she said, ‘This is a great opportunity, don’t screw it up,’” Fleming recalled. “She said, ‘You have to dig in.’”

This advice seemed to reflect exactly what Philbin herself had done when she first arrived in Los Angeles from New York to run the Hammer Museum. Even though Philbin believed that she, as a woman, had only been hired because no one thought the position was very important, she turned the Hammer into “the kind of vibrant hub for artists and activism she’d known since her undergraduate years, elevating contemporary and emerging voices,” Fleming noted. Fleming listed Philbin’s impressive list of accomplishments at the Hammer: spearheading new, now-beloved initiatives like Made in LA and Hammer Projects, quadrupling museum attendance, and overseeing a major expansion with 60 percent more gallery space.

“Ultimately she helped spark the renaissance in LA arts institutions—and this, Annie, is a massive part of your legacy—25 years later, nearly every major arts institution in LA happens to be run by a woman, even Getty,” Fleming said.

Accepting her award, Philbin spoke about the importance of free media. She recalled the 1945 words of George Orwell, who warned that “if public opinion [in favor of freedom of speech] is sluggish, inconvenient minorities will be persecuted.” The First Amendment, Philbin said, is the “matrix” of all freedoms.

“It allows activism, the free flow of ideas, artistic expression, investigative journalism, and community engagement, and it’s painfully obvious these basic rights are in grave danger. Public media is just one of the first entities in the crosshairs,” Philbin said. “But our local public stations are the soundtrack to this city—the cultural programming and stories, the killer music sets, and news from around the world from voices we trust. These stations are really essential.”

She noted that rural radio stations will have the hardest time weathering the defunding of public media, and many will go dark. She encouraged attendees to visit Adopt a Station to find public radio stations in need of support. “I can’t tell you what a blast it is, a total serotonin high, to give away half a million dollars. So if you can, and if you’re feeling blue about the state of the world, I highly recommend it—or just do what you can, of course,” Philbin said. “But I believe this is the moment. It’s really here. So let’s make George Orwell fiction again.”

Philbin passed the mic to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher, who gave a shout-out to NPR journalists for supporting public radio’s role of providing “access, inspiration, discovery, and delight” for its audiences.

“There is literally no greater recognition than when the community chooses to give back. So Annie, thank you so much for recognizing public radio,” Maher said. “We are a recipient of your generosity, and we will continue to do our work in recognition of your legacy as an inspiration.”

Ferro spoke on behalf of KCRW. She revealed that she first learned Philbin had selected NPR, KCRW, and LAist to receive the Getty grant just days after Congress’s vote to rescind public media funding—a “gut punch,” as she described it. But news of the grant was “uplifting and hopeful at a really dark time.”

“When you feel under attack, certain things come into focus, like what public media means in this moment we live in,” Ferro said. “It’s a time when truth costs money but lies are free. A time when people have the lowest amount of trust in media than they’ve ever had. A time when information on things like public health and voting—two topics most people consider too bland to question—is now politicized. It’s a time when corporations are jumping over themselves to fire and silence the very perception of offending our current administration.”

“One thing that’s become clear lately is that there can’t be artistic freedom if there is no freedom of the press,” she added.

Alejandra Santamaria, president and CEO of LAist, closed the night by highlighting how the Getty Prize will support LAist’s programming: arts, culture, news, and the “hidden stories” that make LA shine, reaching Angelenos on the radio, social media, streaming platforms, and wherever else they get their news.

“To everyone here tonight, thank you for standing with public media, for supporting independent journalism, and for helping us lift up the stories, creativity, and culture that make this city extraordinary and a place we are all proud to call home,” she said.