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National Medal of Arts | National Endowment for the Arts
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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."</p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </section> <section class="l-section"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain advanced-listing-block"> <div class="l-section__header"> <h2 class="l-section__title">2023 National Medal of Arts</h2> <div class="l-section__button"> <a href="/honors/medals/list" class="button">All Medalists</a> </div> </div> <div class="l-section__content"> <div class="views-element-container"> <div class="view view--advanced-listing view--display-image_card js-view-dom-id-b0fffb14cdd6cd4662e18de367aca248605164f654f719a70b136ffdabb97dfb"> <div class="view__content"> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/mark-bradford" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/bradford_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=niWKR-on" width="600" height="600" alt="Tall bald Black man wearing glasses with a medal around his neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Mark Bradford </span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Visual Artist</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/ken-burns" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/ken_burns_photo_credit_evan_barlow_20185.jpg?h=16b768a2&itok=umg9Dr9h" width="600" height="600" alt="Man with short dark hair and gray beard wearing a sweater and dress shirt posing for portrait." /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Ken Burns</span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Documentary Filmmaker</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/bruce-cohen" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/cohen_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=BE2WHzYy" width="600" height="600" alt="Man in blue velvet jacket wearing a medal around his neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Bruce Cohen </span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Producer</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/alex-katz" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/katz_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=jBSTcpAV" width="600" height="600" alt="Older bald man in light blue suit wearing a medal around his neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Alex Katz </span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Visual Artist</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/jo-carole-lauder" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/lauder_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=7S_VxPHg" width="600" height="600" alt="Woman with long brown hair in white shirt wearing a medal around her neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Jo Carole Lauder </span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Arts Leader</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/spike-lee" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/lee_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=vHeUu_u6" width="600" height="600" alt="Black man with glasses and New York Yankees cap in a gold and blue checkered suit wearing a medal around his neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Spike Lee</span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Filmmaker</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/queen-latifah" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/queen_latifah_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=GLGI8VRf" width="600" height="600" alt="Black woman in blue jacket wearing a medal around her neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Queen Latifah</span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Artist and Actress</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/selena-quintanilla" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/back_photo_final_amor_prohibido_selena_q_productions_edit_2024.png?h=2a1c32c7&itok=K73WvB4D" width="600" height="600" alt="Young woman with long dark hair tilting her head in a portrait. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Selena Quintanilla</span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Singer</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/honors/medals/steven-spielberg" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/spielberg_1.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=gAGNmi2d" width="600" height="600" alt="Man with glasses and gray hair and beard in gray suit wearing a medal around his neck surrounded by older man wearing a blue suit and woman with blonde hair wearing a pink suit. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item">2023</span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span><span>Steven Spielberg </span> </span> </div> <div class="card__text">Filmmaker</div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div class="cta"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="cta__row"> <div class="cta__content"> <h2 class="cta__title">Nominate an Individual or Organization for a National Medal of Arts</h2> The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists, arts patrons, and arts organizations by the United States government. </div> <a href="/honors/medals/invitation-from-the-chair" class="button button--cta">Make a Nomination</a> </div> </div> </div> <section class="l-section"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain advanced-listing-block"> <div class="l-section__header"> <h2 class="l-section__title">Recent National Medal of Arts Podcasts</h2> <div class="l-section__button"> <a href="/stories/podcast/list?f%5B0%5D=podcast_honor%3A286" class="button">All Medals Podcasts</a> </div> </div> <div class="l-section__content"> <div class="views-element-container"> <div class="view view--advanced-listing view--display-image_card js-view-dom-id-376ce00a454185cb11e9a5892900b22a4345aa1dc051902d2e3e634b3f57f4a4"> <div class="view__content"> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/stories/podcast/sonny-rollins-0" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/Sonny-Rollins-Podcast.png?h=2e2ae3be&itok=bqt1xySd" width="600" height="600" alt="Headshot of a man." /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2020-09-10T12:00:00Z">Sep 10, 2020</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>Sonny Rollins</span> </div> <div class="card__text">1983 NEA Jazz Master and 2010 National Medal of Arts recipient</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/stories/podcast/julia-alvarez-0" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/julia-alvarez-podcast.png?h=52605a11&itok=In_q_Mc0" width="600" height="600" alt="Headshot of a woman." /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2019-08-22T12:00:00Z">Aug 22, 2019</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>Julia Alvarez</span> </div> <div class="card__text">NEA Literature Fellow, Big Read author, 2013 National Medal of Arts recipient</div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/stories/podcast/renee-fleming" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/Renee%20Fleming%20Headshot_med_credit%20Andrew%20Eccles.jpg?h=8538d8c8&itok=FvRfWVrz" width="600" height="600" alt="Portrait of woman. " /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2017-06-08T12:00:00Z">Jun 08, 2017</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>Ren茅e Fleming</span> </div> <div class="card__text">Opera Singer and 2012 National Medal of Arts Recipient</div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="l-section"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain advanced-listing-block"> <div class="l-section__header"> <h2 class="l-section__title">Recent National Medal of Arts News</h2> <div class="l-section__button"> <a href="/news/press-releases?f%5B0%5D=news_honor%3A286" class="button">All Medals News</a> </div> </div> <div class="l-section__content"> <div class="views-element-container"> <div class="view view--advanced-listing view--display-image_card js-view-dom-id-e8d11f1cd7cf66a1b2e262f7dc1e62681853dccb8b1599cf77ace0fca87f0a99"> <div class="view__content"> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/news/press-releases/2024/national-endowment-arts-statement-death-nea-jazz-master-and-national-medal-arts-recipient-quincy" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/Quincy%20Jones8x10.jpg?h=bfcae447&itok=HpumdoyN" width="600" height="600" alt="Portrait of Quincy Jones" /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2024-11-04T12:00:00Z">Nov 04, 2024</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>National Endowment for the Arts Statement on the Death of NEA Jazz Master and National Medal of Arts Recipient Quincy Jones</span> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/news/press-releases/2024/president-biden-award-national-medals-arts" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/medal_color_big.jpg?h=725107ba&itok=-w2FFzaN" width="600" height="600" alt="National Medal of the Arts w/ purple ribbon" /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2024-10-21T12:00:00Z">Oct 21, 2024</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>President Biden to Award National Medals of Arts</span> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="view__row"> <a href="/news/press-releases/2023/president-biden-award-national-medals-arts" class="card"> <div class="card__media"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/card_square/public/images/medal_color_big.jpg?h=725107ba&itok=-w2FFzaN" width="600" height="600" alt="National Medal of the Arts w/ purple ribbon" /> </div> <div class="card__body"> <div class="card__meta"> <span class="card__date card__meta-item"><time datetime="2023-03-20T12:00:00Z">Mar 20, 2023</time> </span> </div> <div class="card__title"> <span>President Biden to Award National Medals of Arts</span> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> 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