President Obama Awards Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival National Medal of Arts (3 minute excerpt)

http://www.jacobspillow.org

President Obama presents Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival with the National Medal of Arts. The Pillow's Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff personally accepts the medal 2:48 into this brief video excerpt.

Fellow honorees are Robert Brustein, Van Cliburn, Mark di Suvero, Donald Hall, Quincy Jones, Harper Lee, Sonny Rollins, Meryl Streep, and James Taylor.

Ella Baff, Jacob's Pillow Executive and Artistic Director, comments "Jacob's Pillow is tremendously honored to be recognized with the National Medal of Arts. Along with a sense of immeasurable pride and celebration, it is our hope that this most distinguished award inspires increased interest in and support for dance and all the arts. We share this signal honor with the pioneering artists who have enlivened Jacob's Pillow, our audiences and supporters; and all those who recognize the vital role that the arts play in our society and communities."

The National Medal of Arts is awarded to individuals and organizations 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." The Medal was established in 1985, and artists who have received it include musicians Wynton Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma; film icons Clint Eastwood and Gene Kelly; visual artists Georgia O'Keeffe and Jasper Johns; and dancer/choreographers Twyla Tharp and Judith Jamison. Named a National Historic Landmark in 2003, Jacob's Pillow is one of only 17 arts organizations, and only the second arts festival, to have received the National Medal of Arts in the past twenty-five years the Medal has been awarded.

The President personally selects the Medal of Arts recipients from nominations submitted to him by the National Council on the Arts.

To view the full awards ceremony visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LmweQIdKYY

For more info about Jacob's Pillow visit
http://www.jacobspillow.org

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• dance
• jacob's pillow
• ella baff
• barack obama
• white house
• arts
• medal of arts

[JacobsPillow]

@TheSimplyStreep Has he said who his favorite dancer is? Just curious.

[TheSimplyStreep]

Obama has said before that Meryl Streep is his fav Actor

[JacobsPillow]

@ergonomover Why, thank you. We are honored to be included with the other 2010 recipients, including fellow Berkshireite James Taylor!

[ergonomover]

Jacob's Pillow honored by Obama? What good taste in art the President has!