press room

For Immediate Release

10/06/2005

Contact:
Beth Olsen
Goodman Media
212.576.2700


Americans for the Arts Announces 2005 National Arts Awards

Washington, DC, October 6, 2005 — Americans for the Arts will present the annual National Arts Awards on Tuesday, October 11, as part of National Arts and Humanities Month. The awards recognize those artists and arts supporters who exhibit exemplary national leadership and whose work demonstrates extraordinary artistic achievement. They are organizations and individuals—artists, business leaders, patrons, and educators—who understand that the arts enrich people and communities alike.

The awards will be presented at a gala dinner in New York City, chaired by Maria Bell. The co-chairs for the event are Justine and Jeff Koons and Liane and Richard Weintraub. Support for the gala has come from individuals and corporations. Ovation – The Arts Network has provided sponsorship for the event and is the Media Sponsor of National Arts and Humanities Month 2005.

Following are this year’s National Arts Awards recipients:

• John Baldessari
  Lifetime Achievement Award
  Award will be presented by Jan Debbaut, director, Tate Collection.
• Mikhail Baryshnikov
  Kitty Carlisle Hart Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts
  Award will be presented by Trisha Brown, dancer/choreographer.
• Eli Broad
  Frederick R. Weisman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts
  Award will be presented by Jeff Koons, visual artist.
• Pierre Dulaine and Yvonne Marceau, American Ballroom Theater
  Arts Education Award
  Award will be presented by Tommy Tune, dancer/choreographer.
• Kerry Washington
  Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence
  Award will be presented by Doug Liman, director.
• Target
  Corporate Citizenship in the Arts Award
  Award will be presented by Glenn D. Lowry, director, Museum of Modern Art.
• The National Endowment for the Arts will be recognized in honor of its 40th Anniversary.
  Remarks by Michael York, actor and writer.

The National Arts Awards have been presented by Americans for the Arts since its inception in 1996. Past honorees have included, among others: Edward Albee, Alec Baldwin, Leonard Bernstein, John Brademas, Chuck Close, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Frank Gehry, Martha Graham, Agnes Gund, Helen Hayes, Jacob Lawrence, Gerald M. Levin, Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Portman, Cindy Sherman, Beverly Sills, David Rockefeller, Isaac Stern, Mena Suvari, Paul Taylor, Uma Thurman, and Sanford I. Weill.

As the official media sponsor of National Arts and Humanities Month, Ovation is providing significant financial support and in-kind services valued at more than $100,000, including a series of video vignettes profiling the winners of this year’s awards. Ovation has made a cash contribution to support the activities of Americans for the Arts’ National Arts and Humanities Month.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 40 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.