awards for arts achievement

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) was selected for the Congressional Arts Leadership Award for his life-long commitment to the arts. A civil rights icon, Rep. Lewis is fond of saying, “Without the arts, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.” Lewis is awarded this honor for his tireless efforts on behalf of a touchstone piece of legislation that he introduced in the House of Representatives—HR. 1126, The Artist-Museum Partnership Act.  This legislation would allow artists to claim a fair-market value tax deduction when donating their work to nonprofit institutions, preserving works of local, regional, and national significance for the public to enjoy.