Medal Day

This year, The MacDowell Colony will award the Edward MacDowell Medal to acclaimed jazz composer Sonny Rollins. The presentation speaker will be eminent jazz writer, critic, and Colony Fellow Gary Giddins. Medal Day will take place on Sunday, August 15th, beginning at 12:15 p.m. To read the press release on this year’s Medal Day, click here.

The Edward MacDowell Medal is an award given each year by The MacDowell Colony to an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to his or her field. Since the Medal was first awarded in 1960, artists who have received this honor include Leonard Bernstein, John Updike, Georgia O'Keeffe, I.M. Pei., and Merce Cunningham. The Medal Day ceremony features not only the honoree but also a well-known presentation speaker who is familiar with the Medalist's work. Past speakers include visual artist Richard Serra, writer William Styron, and Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Robert Campbell. After the ceremony, guests are invited to enjoy a picnic lunch on the Colony's beautiful grounds before touring the open studios of current artists-in-residence. This casual but stimulating engagement with MacDowell Fellows allows visitors to immerse themselves in the creative process and view contemporary work long before it reaches museums, cinemas, stages, or bookshelves. Free and open to all, Medal Day has become a cultural destination for many near and far and typically draws more than 1,500 people.

The MacDowell Colony is grateful for the continued support of Lincoln Financial, which has served as the Medal Day Corporate Partner for more than 10 years. If you would like to help support Medal Day, please contact our Development office at 212-535-9690 or via .

Previous Medal Days
Past MacDowell Medalists include such luminaries as Thornton Wilder, Edward Hopper, Alice Munro, and Aaron Copland. The following is an entire list of MacDowell Medalists since the award was first given in 1960, along with the speakers for each. (Asterisks denote Colony Fellows.)

YEAR

MEDALIST

DISCIPLINE

SPEAKER

Medal Day Speeches
The MacDowell Colony newsletter chronicles Medal Day speeches for the enjoyment of those who could not attend. You may click on the years below to read prior speeches.

Medal Day 2009 — Visual Artist Kiki Smith; presentation speaker Lynne Tillman
Medal Day 2008 — Architect Thom Mayne; presentation speaker Robert Campbell
Medal Day 2007 — Filmmaker Les Blank; presentation speaker Fred Wiseman
Medal Day 2006 — Writer Alice Munro; presentation speaker Virginia Barber
Medal Day 2005 — Composer Steve Reich; presentation speaker Richard Serra

Medal Day Slideshow
View an online gallery of the 50th anniversary of Medal Day, which honored visual artist Kiki Smith in August, 2009.

Performances
Below are two performances from previous Medal Day ceremonies. In 2005, acclaimed group So Percussion performed music by Medalist Steve Reich. In 2003, well-known composer and Colony Fellow Meredith Monk performed a tribute piece for friend and Medalist Merce Cunningham.

Performance at Medal Day, 2005		Meredith Monk performing at Medal Day, 2003 This performance is copyrighted by Meredith Monk and may not be reproduced, copied, or distributed in any way without the express permission of Ms. Monk.

For More Information
To learn more about Medal Day, please us. To get directions to the Colony for Medal Day, please click here.