National Medal of Arts

National Medal of Arts
Awarded forOutstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States
CountryUnited States
Presented byPresident of the United States & National Endowment for the Arts
EligibilityCivilians
Established1984 by the United States Congress
First awarded1985
Websitewww.arts.gov/honors/medals
Ribbon of the medal
US President George W. Bush with several of the 2005 National Medal of Arts awardees

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 given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government. Nominations are submitted to the National Council on the Arts, the advisory committee of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), who then submits its recommendations to the White House for the President of the United States to award.[1] The medal was designed for the NEA by sculptor Robert Graham.

  1. ^ "National Endowment for the Arts 2018 Guide" (PDF). National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 29 November 2018.