Bono Set to Honour Bruce Springsteen at Tribeca
U2 frontman Bono will present Bruce Springsteen with the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award during the 2026 Tribeca Festival in New York, adding another marquee music moment to the event’s 25th edition. The award presentation is slated to include an onstage conversation between Bono and Springsteen, plus tributes from singer-songwriter Patti Smith and actor Robert De Niro.
Billboard reported that Tribeca Festival co-chair and co-founder Ms. Jane Rosenthal said “there are few figures who embody the spirit” of the Belafonte honour more than Springsteen, citing his record of using his platform to advance “equality, dignity and human rights.”
The festival, running June 3–14, will also host a number of other music-driven events, including the world premiere of the tour documentary Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour — Live in Paris followed by a conversation with Ms. Katy Perry, as well as a newly restored 4K anniversary version of Daft Punk’s Electroma featuring a post-screening chat with Mr. Thomas Bangalter.
Bono’s appearance continues his high-profile activism, including moments when U2 have publicly leaned into protest-themed work that has sparked wide discussion beyond the band’s music.
Tribeca’s 2026 programming also includes anniversary screenings and conversations tied to films such as Taxi Driver, as well as additional Storytellers-style talks involving Finneas, Paul Rudd and others. The Springsteen award moment is expected to be one of the festival’s headline events, spotlighting his long-running reputation as a musician engaged with social and political issues.
