National Endowment for the Arts  
Lifetime Honors
  National Medal of Arts  
 
 

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government. The National Medal of Arts is awarded by the President of the United States to individuals or groups who "...are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States."

During the past 27 years, nearly 300 extraordinary patrons and artists in the fields of visual, performing, and literary arts have been honored. With this medal, the President recognizes the wealth and depth of creative expression of America's artists. Hundreds of nominations are submitted by citizens across the country for consideration by the National Council on the Arts every year.

This lifetime achievement award recognizes the extraordinary accomplishments of individuals engaged in the creation and production of the arts in the United States. The arts encompass arts education, crafts, dance, drawing, film, graphic/product design, interior design, landscape architecture, literature, classical and popular music, painting, patrons/advocates, photography, presenting, printmaking, sculpture, theater, and urban design.

 
2012 National Medal of Arts Awards
 

Musician and producer Herb Alpert, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Herb Alpert
Musician and Producer
Malibu, California

Herb Alpert is recognized for his varied contributions to music and the fine arts. The musician behind the Tijuana Brass phenomenon and co-founder of A&M Records, which launched several storied careers, Mr. Alpert is also a philanthropist who shares the power of arts education with young people across our country.

 
 

Arts patron Lin Arison, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives her medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Lin Arison
Arts Patron
Bal Harbour, Florida

Lin Arison is recognized for her contributions as a philanthropist and arts education advocate. Co-Founder of the National YoungArts Foundation and the New World Symphony, Ms. Arison’s work celebrates, showcases, and supports the next generation of great American artists.

 
 

Dance company founder and director Joan Myers Brown, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives her medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Joan Myers Brown
Dance Company Founder and Director
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Joan Myers Brown is recognized for her contributions as a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. Founder of the Philadelphia Dance Company, Ms. Brown carved out an artistic haven for African-American dancers and choreographers to innovate, create, and share their unique visions with the national and global dance communities.

 
 

Soprano Renée Fleming, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives her medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Renée Fleming
Soprano
New York, New York

Renée Fleming is recognized for her contributions to American music. Known to many as “the people’s diva,” Ms. Fleming has captivated audiences around the world with an adventurous repertoire spanning opera and the classical tradition to jazz and contemporary pop.

 
 

Author Ernest Gaines, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Ernest Gaines
Author
Oscar, Louisiana

Ernest Gaines is recognized for his contributions as an author and teacher. Drawing deeply from his childhood in the rural South, his works have shed new light on the African-American experience and given voice to those who have endured injustice.

 
 

Visual artist Ellsworth Kelly, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Ellsworth Kelly
Visual Artist
Spencertown, New York

Ellsworth Kelly is recognized for his contributions as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker. A careful observer of form, color, and the natural world, Mr. Kelly has shaped more than half a century of abstraction and remains a vital influence in American art.

 
 

Playwright Tony Kushner, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Tony Kushner
Playwright
New York, New York

Tony Kushner is recognized for his contributions to American theater and film. Whether for the stage or the silver screen, his scripts have moved audiences worldwide, marrying humor to fury, history to fantasy, and the philosophical to the personal.

 
 

Director and producer George Lucas, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

George Lucas
Director and Producer
San Anslemo, California

George Lucas is recognized for his contributions to American cinema. By combining the art of storytelling with boundless imagination and cutting-edge techniques, Mr. Lucas has transported us to new worlds and created some of the most beloved and iconic films of all time.

 
 

Writer, director, and performer Elaine May, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives her medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Elaine May
Writer, Director, and Performer
New York, New York

Elaine May is recognized for her contributions to American comedy. With groundbreaking wit and a keen understanding of how humor can illuminate our lives, Ms. May has evoked untold joy, challenged expectations, and elevated spirits across our Nation.

 
 

Landscape architect Laurie Olin, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Laurie Olin
Landscape Architect
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Laurie Olin is recognized for his contributions as a preeminent landscape architect. Renowned for his acute sense of harmony and balance between nature and design, Mr. Olin has dedicated his energy to shaping many iconic spaces around the world and to educating new leaders in his art.

 
 

Musician and producer Allen Toussaint, recipient of a 2012 National Medal of Arts, receives his medal from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Allen Toussaint
Musician and Producer
New Orleans, Louisiana

Allen Toussaint is recognized for his contributions as a composer, producer, and performer. Born and raised in New Orleans, Mr. Toussaint has built a legendary career alongside America’s finest musicians, sustaining his city’s rich tradition of rhythm and blues and lifting it to the national stage.

 
 

Jenny Bilfield, president and CEO of Washington Performing Arts Society, accepts the 2012 National Medal of Arts on behalf of the Washington Performing Arts Society from President Barack Obama at an East Room ceremony at the White House on July 10, 2013. Photo by Ralph Alswang (Click on image for high-res photo)

Washington Performing Arts Society
Presenter
Washington, DC

Washington Performing Arts Society is recognized for bringing world-class performances to our Nation’s capital. From concert-hall premieres to in-school workshops, WPAS has drawn renowned artists to the Washington community and inspired generations of young performers to follow their passions.

 


 

 

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