Obama honors the arts

President Obama presents a 2010 National Medal of Arts to pianist Van Cliburn, Wednesday, March 2, 2011, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.

JOYCE CAROL OATES

President Barack Obama awards the 2010 National Humanities Medal to Author Joyce Carol Oates during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, March 2, 2011.

QUINCY JONES

Musician and record producer Quincy Jones accepts his National Medal of Arts, on March 2, 2011, during a ceremony in the White House.

JAMES TAYLOR

Singer James Taylor, visited the press briefing room after accepting his National Medal of Arts on Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at the White House.

SONNY ROLLINS

President Barack Obama presents a 2010 National Medal of Arts to jazz musician Sonny Rollins, Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

MARK DI SUVERO

Mr. Obama awards the 2010 National Medal of Arts to American abstract expressionist sculptor Mark di Suvero on March 2, 2011.

WENDELL BERRY

President Barack Obama presents a 2010 National Humanities Medal to author and conservationist Wendell E. Berry, on March 2, 2011.

MERYL STREEP

Actress Meryl Streep, who was absent for the event, was honored for what the White House described as "her unrivaled contributions to American arts and culture as an actress of the stage and screen."

HARPER LEE

Author Harper Lee did not attend the event, but she was honored for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird." She is at left receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in 2007.