Is Academy Award capitalized?

As a language expert with a deep understanding of English grammar and usage, I can provide a comprehensive answer to your question about the capitalization of "Academy Award."
The "Academy Award" is a specific title for the awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is a registered trademark and is always capitalized when referring to the actual awards ceremony and the awards themselves. This is because it is a proper noun, which is the name of a unique entity. For example, you would say, "She won an Academy Award for Best Actress," or "The film was nominated for several Academy Awards."
However, when referring to the award in a more general sense, without the specific context of the Academy's ceremony, it can be written in lowercase. For instance, "He received an award for his work in film," could mean any award, not necessarily an Academy Award. The same rule applies to other awards named after organizations, such as the "Grammy Award," "Tony Award," and "Emmy Award." They are all capitalized when referring to the specific awards given by those organizations, but can be lowercase when used more generally.
It is also important to note the distinction between the word "award" in general and the proper nouns "Academy Award," "Grammy," "Tony," and "Emmy." The general term "award" is not capitalized unless it is at the beginning of a sentence or part of a proper noun. However, when you are talking about the specific awards named after these organizations, the proper noun form requires capitalization.
Here's a breakdown of the capitalization rules for these awards:

1. Academy Award: Always capitalize when referring to the specific award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

2. Grammy Award: Capitalize when referring to the awards presented by The Recording Academy. Lowercase when referring to awards in general.

3. Tony Award: Capitalize when referring to the awards given by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Lowercase for general references.

4. Emmy Award: Capitalize when referring to the awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Lowercase for general use.
It's also worth mentioning the Nobel Prizes, which are a different case. The term "Nobel" is always capitalized as it is a proper noun, named after the inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel. However, the word "prize" is not capitalized when it stands alone, unless it is at the beginning of a sentence or part of the proper noun "Nobel Prizes." So you would say, "She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics," but "The peace prizes were announced last week."
In conclusion, the capitalization of "Academy Award" and similar terms depends on the context in which they are used. When referring to the specific awards from their respective organizations, they should be capitalized. When used in a general sense, the word "award" is lowercase, but the proper noun names of the awards remain capitalized. It's a subtle distinction but an important one to maintain clarity and respect for the entities these awards represent.

Grammy Award, Tony Award, Emmy Award, Academy Award: Award should be capitalized in all cases, but is not necessary: He won a Grammy Award in 2006; He won a Grammy in 2006. ... Lowercase prize when not linked with the word Nobel: The peace prize was awarded Monday.