NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Oct. 22, 2024 – The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Arts by President Joe Biden during a special ceremony at the White House yesterday. Established by Congress in 1984, the Medal is the highest award given to artists and arts institutions by the United States government. It is awarded 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.”
The ceremony recognized 20 National Medal of Arts recipients representing the past two years. Primarily awarded to individuals, the museum was the only institution included among the new recipients. Remarks by President Biden and others at the event are now available to watch here.
Kyle Young, chief executive officer of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, accepted the Medal on behalf of the institution. Young has worked at the museum for more than 45 years, leading its move from Nashville’s Music Row to the city’s downtown in 2001 and major expansion in 2014.
“Our museum and country music itself were both born of humble beginnings — an origin that made it common for many to dismiss the artform or any careful study of it,” said Young. “The National Medal of Arts is a treasured validation of our longtime commitment to country music’s cultural significance, even when our work was not considered a serious endeavor. For more than a century, this music has given voice to the thoughts, feelings, hardships, triumphs and values of our country’s people. This prestigious recognition, to me, says that our institution is on the right track — collecting, studying and cherishing country music while holding to a broad approach including all forms of American vernacular music in its narrative. The institution’s achievements have not come without a fair share of challenges and risks, but resilience was born out of humble beginnings — for both the music and its museum. And the story is still being written. With country music now recognized and received globally, our role has not changed. We will continue to preserve and interpret its past, present and future, while holding it carefully in the public trust for future generations.”
About the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Nashville, Tennessee, has been called the “Smithsonian of country music,” celebrated for its broad cultural impact, educational mission and unrivaled collection of historically important artifacts. Chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964, the nonprofit museum has worked to collect, preserve and interpret the evolving history of country music through exhibits, publications, educational programs and more. As the world’s largest repository of country music history, the museum teaches its diverse audiences about the enduring beauty and cultural importance of the artform.
As one of the most-visited history museums in the country, the museum welcomed more than 1.6 million visitors in 2023 and offered more than 1,200 educational programs. Its flagship Words & Music program promotes language arts by pairing professional songwriters with school classrooms to create original songs. In addition, the museum offers the 7,500-square-foot Taylor Swift Education Center on site for students, teachers and families, and dedicated performance spaces in the CMA Theater and the Ford Theater, both of which regularly host nationally recognized live music and cultural events. The museum’s collection facilities, including the Frist Library and Archive, houses the world’s largest assemblage of country music artifacts and serves as a research hub for understanding the genre’s history and impact.
The museum also operates the Grammy-winning Country Music Foundation Records, the Country Music Foundation Press, Historic RCA Studio B, Haley Art Gallery and the 145-year-old Hatch Show Print letterpress print shop. Visit the museum's website for more information.
About the National Medal of Arts
The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. It 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. Additional information and the list of past recipients is available on the NEA website. The National Endowment for the Arts manages the nomination process on behalf of the White House. Each year, the Arts Endowment 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.
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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, Haley Gallery, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.
More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.