The Kyoto Prize is an international award by the Inamori Foundation, to honor those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual batterment of mankind. The prize has been awarded annually in each of the following three categories: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences and Arts and Philosophy since 1985. Each Kyoto Prize category comprises of four fields, which are awarded and determined in rotation in each year.

Candidates for the Kyoto Prizes are nominated by official Kyoto Prize nominators, who are selected annualy by the Foundation from among recognized domestic and international authorities. Vassilis Zidianakis has been selected to act as a nominator for the Arts field (painting, sculpture, craft, architecture, design) of the Arts and Philosophy category in 2006 (winner: Issey Miyake), 2010 (winner: William Kentridge) and 2014 (winner: Fukumi Shimura).