Spirit Awards Leaving Santa Monica Beach for Hollywood Palladium

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards, the industry’s highest-profile celebration of independent film, is leaving the beach in Santa Monica, where it has been held for decades, and relocating to the heart of Hollywood, specifically the Hollywood Palladium, for its 41st edition on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

The Spirit Awards have been held in a tent alongside the Santa Monica Pier since its eighth edition in 1993, with the exception of its 9th edition, which, too, was held at the Hollywood Palladium.

It is unclear if the just-announced move is temporary or permanent, though it reportedly was triggered by the city of Los Angeles’ preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“Following the celebration of 40 years of the Spirit Awards earlier this year, we are excited to have the opportunity to reimagine the Spirit Awards experience during a moment of tremendous growth and transformation for our organization,” Brenda Robinson, Film Independent’s acting president said in a statement. “We are proud to continue to be a beacon for the bold and resilient independent storytelling community and to honor excellence in storytelling in all its forms.”

Added Shawn Davis, executive producer of the Spirit Awards: “We’re thrilled to bring the Spirit Awards to the historic Hollywood Palladium. This move represents our continued evolution while staying true to our roots of celebrating fearless independent voices of film and television.”