NEW YORK, NY.- Artsy, the leading resource for learning about and collecting art, has been named the Best Art Website in the 18th Annual Webby Awards. Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. The IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Awards Winners, is comprised of web industry experts, including media mogul Arianna Huffington, Founder of Tumblr David Karp, Internet co-creator Vint Cerf Mozilla CEO and Chair Mitchell Baker, Creator of the Gif Steve Wilhite, and mobile-phone inventor Martin Cooper.

Artsy’s mission is to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. It aims to expand both art education and collecting. Artsy provides free access via its website (Artsy.net) and iPhone app to international exhibitions, museum collections, gallery listings, art fairs, curated sales, and benefit auctions. It currently features 140,000 images of art and architecture by 25,000 artists from 1,800 leading galleries and 230 museums and institutions. Artsy's encyclopedic collection spans historical works, such as the Rosetta Stone and the Colosseum, to modern and contemporary works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Willem de Kooning, Richard Serra, Lucien Smith, Sarah Lucas, and Cindy Sherman.

"Artsy has set the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. "This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators."

Artsy will be honored at the star-studded ceremony on Monday, May 19, 2014 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, where winners will have an opportunity to deliver one of The Webby Awards' famous 5-Word Speeches. Highlights from last year’s 5-Word Speeches include: Pinterest’s “Pinterest loves you Ryan Gosling”; Bjork’s "A.E.I.O.U"; and Kevin Spacey & Dana Brunetti for House of Cards, "The Oscars should do this." The show will be hosted by critically-acclaimed stand-up comedian, writer and actor Patton Oswalt. Beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, fans can watch the show in On Demand at Webbyawards.com. A full list of both The Webby Awards and People's Voice Winners can be found at webbyawards.com/winners.

Artsy is the leading resource for learning about and collecting art. Artsy provides free access via its website (Artsy.net) and iPhone app to international exhibitions, museum collections, gallery listings, art fairs, curated sales, and benefit auctions. Powered by The Art Genome Project®, a classification system that maps the connections between artists and artworks, Artsy fosters new generations of art lovers, museum-goers, patrons, and collectors.

Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Interactive Advertising & Media, Online Film & Video, Mobile & Apps, and Social. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 12,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Microsoft, Dell, Vitamin T, MailChimp, Engine Yard, Funny or Die, AdAge, Percolate, Mashable, Business Insider, Internet Week New York and Guardian News and Media.