By — Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/sally-field-stephen-king-among-arts-medal-recipients Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Sally Field, Stephen King, among arts medal recipients Politics Sep 5, 2015 4:57 PM EDT WASHINGTON — Actress Sally Field and author Stephen King are among luminaries set to receive a National Medal of Arts or a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. Obama will bestow the honors on 18 people and three institutions during a White House ceremony Thursday. Field, of Los Angeles, is receiving an arts medal for showing dignity, empathy and fearlessness in performances that have touched audiences worldwide, as well as for showing those same qualities in her off-screen advocacy for women, LGBT rights and public health. King, of Bangor, Maine, is also receiving an arts medal for combining storytelling with analysis of human nature, and for thrilling readers through decades of work. Alice Waters, chef-owner of the organic restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is receiving a National Humanities Medal for her work as a champion of a holistic approach to eating and health. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities were created by Congress in 1965 to provide grants to support artistic excellence and creativity, and to advance the understanding and appreciation of history, literature, philosophy and language. Both independent agencies are celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year. The remaining recipients are: National Medal of Arts: John Baldessari, visual artist, Venice, California Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer and video and installation artist, New York City Miriam Colón, actress, theater founder and director, New York City The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, New York City Ann Hamilton, visual artist, Columbus, Ohio Meredith Monk, composer, singer and performer, New York City George Shirley, tenor, Ann Arbor, Michigan University Musical Society, Performing Arts Presenter, Ann Arbor, Michigan Tobias Wolff, author and educator, Stanford, California National Humanities Medal: Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, historian, Auburndale, Massachusetts Annie Dillard, author, Key West, Florida Clemente Course in the Humanities, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, novelist and philosopher, Boston Larry McMurtry, novelist, essayist and screenwriter, Archer City, Texas Everett L. Fly, architect, San Antonio Jhumpa Lahiri, author, New York City Fedwa Malti-Douglas, professor and scholar, Rhinebeck, New York Vicki Lynn Ruiz, historian, Irvine, California We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Darlene Superville, Associated Press Darlene Superville, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Actress Sally Field and author Stephen King are among luminaries set to receive a National Medal of Arts or a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. Obama will bestow the honors on 18 people and three institutions during a White House ceremony Thursday. Field, of Los Angeles, is receiving an arts medal for showing dignity, empathy and fearlessness in performances that have touched audiences worldwide, as well as for showing those same qualities in her off-screen advocacy for women, LGBT rights and public health. King, of Bangor, Maine, is also receiving an arts medal for combining storytelling with analysis of human nature, and for thrilling readers through decades of work. Alice Waters, chef-owner of the organic restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is receiving a National Humanities Medal for her work as a champion of a holistic approach to eating and health. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities were created by Congress in 1965 to provide grants to support artistic excellence and creativity, and to advance the understanding and appreciation of history, literature, philosophy and language. Both independent agencies are celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year. The remaining recipients are: National Medal of Arts: John Baldessari, visual artist, Venice, California Ping Chong, theater director, choreographer and video and installation artist, New York City Miriam Colón, actress, theater founder and director, New York City The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, New York City Ann Hamilton, visual artist, Columbus, Ohio Meredith Monk, composer, singer and performer, New York City George Shirley, tenor, Ann Arbor, Michigan University Musical Society, Performing Arts Presenter, Ann Arbor, Michigan Tobias Wolff, author and educator, Stanford, California National Humanities Medal: Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, historian, Auburndale, Massachusetts Annie Dillard, author, Key West, Florida Clemente Course in the Humanities, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, novelist and philosopher, Boston Larry McMurtry, novelist, essayist and screenwriter, Archer City, Texas Everett L. Fly, architect, San Antonio Jhumpa Lahiri, author, New York City Fedwa Malti-Douglas, professor and scholar, Rhinebeck, New York Vicki Lynn Ruiz, historian, Irvine, California We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now