National Medal of Arts

National Medal of Arts
Awarded for	Outstanding contributions in Arts
Location	Washington, D.C.
Country	USA
Presented by	National Endowment for the Arts
First awarded	1984
Official website	http://www.nea.gov/honors/medals/

The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor specifically given for achievement in the arts conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people. Honorees are selected by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and ceremoniously presented the award by the President of the United States. The medal was designed for the NEA by sculptor Robert Graham.

In 1983, prior to the official establishment of the Medal, the following artists and patrons received a medal from President Reagan, arranged by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities:

In 1989, composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein refused his award, allegedly due to how a federal grant to an art show on AIDS had been revoked.

In 1997, poet Adrienne Rich refused her award as a protest against “inconsistencies” between art and “the cynical politics” of the Clinton White House administration.

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