Medal of Arts

Raleigh Arts Commission

What do actor Ira David Wood III, writer Sally Buckner, painter Bob Rankin, North Carolina Museum of Art Executive Director Larry Wheeler, and North Carolina Theatre all have in common? These individuals and organizations are all recipients of a Raleigh Medal of Arts!

Originally based on the National Medal of Arts program, Raleigh's Medal of Arts - the city's highest arts honor - was inaugurated in 1984 by the Arts Commission to establish special recognition for extraordinary lifetime achievement in the practice or support of local arts. The medal was designed by artist Catherine Nailling Parrish in 1984 and fabricated by Joel Hass. Over the past 25 years, 128 medals have been awarded, with recipients ranging from businesses such as Capitol Broadcasting Company and Progress Energy, arts organizations including the North Carolina Symphony and Arts Together, and artists such as sculptor Thomas Sayre, poet Lenard Moore and choreographer Robert Weiss.

Hosted in the Fletcher Opera Theater at Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the ceremony is free and open to the public.

The City of Raleigh is proud to honor the exceptional individuals who have contributed so significantly to our Creative Capital City. Congratulations to all our Medal recipients for their lifetime of achievement and service to our community.

Medal of Arts 2012 Nomination Form(Download and save to your computer)

To learn more, please see links to the right.

Photo courtesy of Teresa Pigeon - Medal of Arts 2010 Awardees (from left to right) Nancy Olson, J. Mark Scearce, Banks C. Talley, Jr., William Ivey Long, Dwane Powell and Ruth Green.