Wacom Wins Ub Iwerks Award
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ASIFA-Hollywood will present the 53rd Annual Annie Awards for excellence in animation on February 21, 2026.
That is when the winners in the 32 categories will be handed their awards, but a few special “Juried Annie” have been announced in anticipation of the big night. Among the special honorees are…
Presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, the Ub Iwerks Award celebrates technical advancements that have had a significant and lasting impact on the art and industry of animation. The award recognizes innovations that have helped shape animation production practices and expand creative possibilities over time. Named after animation pioneer Ub Iwerks — whose groundbreaking work helped shape some of the medium’s earliest iconic characters — the award honors those who continue to push the medium forward.
For decades, Wacom’s digital pen and ink technologies and creative tools have been widely adopted in animation production environments around the world. From early concept development and storyboarding to animation and compositing, Wacom’s tools have supported artists in bringing hand-drawn expression into digital workflows, helping bridge traditional techniques with evolving production methods.
The other Juried Award winners this year:
Juried Awards also will be presented during the ceremony, honoring unparalleled achievement and exceptional contributions to animation. The Winsor McCay Award in recognition of lifetime or career contributions are being awarded to three recipients: Internationally lauded Annie Award and Academy Award-winning animator, writer and director Michaël Dudok de Wit; prolific and influential filmmakers and Annie Award and Academy Award winners Chirstopher Miller and Phil Lord; and Annie Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer/director Chris Sanders.
The June Foray Award for significant and benevolent impact to the animation community will be awarded to Sandy Rabins, animation and live action producer and the founding guiding light for the AnimAID effort to assist and support those in the animation industry who were affected by the L.A. Wildfires.
The Special Achievement Award acknowledging unique and outstanding achievement not recognized within the existing award category structure will be awarded to LightBox Expo, the annual event that brings the creative animation community of filmmakers together with animation students and fans.
More about the Annie Awards at Animation Magazine.
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