President Biden awards 20 National Medals of the Arts recipients

WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - On Monday, President Biden awarded 20 National Medals of the Arts to recipients in a private ceremony at the White House.

Among the recipients present were Steven Spielberg, LeVar Burton, Spike Lee, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Idina Menzel, Jon Meacham, Aaron Sorkin, and Bruce Cohen.

There were 39 recipients of the medals at the event.

The White House combined the 2022 and 2023 ceremonies.

The honorees already had received their medals by the time of the public ceremony, and instead were introduced as they entered and stood as a group.

The Arts Medal is the highest award given to artists, arts patrons, and groups by the United States government and honors exemplary individuals and organizations that have advanced the arts in America.