National Medal of Arts in Photos

By UMS

ums presidence ken fischer receives national medal of arts from president barack obama UMS was selected as one of the 2014 recipients of the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest public artistic honor, awarded annually at the White House by the President of the United States to those who have “demonstrated a lifetime of creative excellence,” according to the National Endowment for the Arts, which oversees the selection process. In the photo above, UMS president Ken Fischer receives the award.

Explore other photos from the ceremony below, including photos of the UMS delegation, the other National Medal of Arts recipients, and President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

: United States President Barack Obama presents the National Medal of Arts to the University Musical Society of Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the photo above, UMS president Ken Fischer accepts the award on behalf of UMS.

: There were two National Medals of Arts awarded to institutions: UMS and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The representatives from each included (left to right), UMS Director of Programming Michael Kondziolka, DDCF Program Officer Cheryl Ikemia, DDCF President Ed Henry and his wife Susan Monk, UMS Board Chair Stephen Forrest, DDCF Program Officer Ben Cameron, UMS President Ken Fischer.

: U-M professor Emeritus and tenor George Shirley receives his medal from the president.

: George Shirley, his wife Gladys, and their two children with NEA Chair Jane Chu at the White House.

: Past UMS board chairs with medal at Hill Auditorium. Left to right: Bev Geitner, Norman Herbert, Steve Palms, Prue Rosenthal, David Herzig, and Ken Fischer.

: Left to right: Michael Kondziolka, Stephen Forrest, Ken Fischer.

: Awardees Ping Chong and Meredith Monk, both of whom appear on UMS’s 2016-17 season, outside the United States Institute of Peace, site of the Gala Dinner held on the eve of the White House ceremony.

: UMS President Ken Fischer with fellow awardee, actress Sally Field.

: UMS President Ken Fischer with U-M Regent Andrea Fischer Newman (left) and U.S. Congressional Representative from Ann Arbor Debbie Dingell at a special dinner following the White House ceremony.

: UMS President Ken Fischer with fellow awardee, author Stephen King.

: UMS President Ken Fischer at the White House with National Medal of Humanities recipient Alice Waters, chef, activist, restaurateur, and author.

: UMS President with fellow awardee George Shirley and U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance Dean Aaron Dworkin at the Gala Dinner at the United Stataes Institute of Peace on the eve of the White House ceremony.