Idina Menzel and More Honored With National Medal of Arts

Idina Menzel is among the recipients of the 2023 National Medals of Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. President Joe Biden will present the awards on October 21 in a private ceremony at the White House.

The National Medal of Arts is awarded by the president of the United States to individuals or groups 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.

Menzel made her Broadway debut in Rent in 1996, earning a Tony nomination for the performance, and won a Tony Award for originating the role of Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. She earned her third Tony nomination for If/Then. Her screen credits include Glee, voicing Elsa in the Frozen franchise and Uncut Gems. Menzel is set to star in Redwood on Broadway in 2025.

The 2022 and 2023 awards will both be presented at the ceremony. Other recipients include Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Bushwick-raised musician and theater artist Leonardo “Flaco” Jimenez, Eva Longoria, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg. Recipients in recent years include Audra McDonald, Moises Kaufman, John Kander, Tony Kushner, Al Pacino and Meryl Streep.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, said, “The arts enrich our lives, helping us to ask questions, imagine new possibilities and create community. The NEA is pleased to join President Biden in congratulating the 2022 and 2023 National Medal of Arts recipients whose curiosity, creativity, hard work and dedication have inspired and touched so many in our country and around the globe.”

The National Endowment for the Arts manages the nomination process on behalf of the White House. Each year, the NEA seeks nominations from individuals and organizations across the country. The National Council on the Arts, the NEA’s presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed advisory body, reviews the nominations and provides recommendations to the President, who selects the recipients.