Steward Hartman

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Our artform is profoundly ephemeral, and much of its history would vanish without the dedicated members of our community who capture it for posterity. Among those invaluable documentarians, few have contributed as consistently and generously as 2026 ICG Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Steward Hartman.

For nearly three decades, Steward has been a constant presence at Costume-Con, quietly and meticulously recording the full breadth of our creativity. Beginning in the era of film-when he still managed to produce hundreds of images each year-and continuing through the transition to digital photography, he has built an extraordinary visual record of our competitions, displays, and hall costumes. His coverage is both comprehensive and thoughtful: thousands of images from each event, with dozens of detail shots capturing the craftsmanship of a single entry. And he provides something uniquely precious to the Archives: reliable costumer identification, thanks to his practice of photographing each participant’s badge.

Beyond his archival contributions, Steward has frequently been a familiar figure directing the halftime photo-run with calm efficiency so that every costumer receives the attention they deserve while keeping the show moving smoothly. His skill, dedication, and collaborative spirit led to making him official ICG
Archive Photographer beginning with Costume-Con 32—a role he has fulfilled with distinction ever since.
Steward’s work preserves not only our images, but our history. For this, and for his decades of service to the community, Steward Hartman is the recipient of the 2026 ICG Lifetime Achievement Award.