National Leadership Award Recipients

This award is given annually to an individual or institution whose work is nationally recognized as exemplifying and promoting the ideals to which the National Guild and its membership are dedicated.

2021 - William Estrada

2020 - Rhiannon Giddens

2019 - Jawole Willa Jo Zollar

2018 - Ronnie Brooks

2017 - Ellen Michelson

2016 - Khary Lazarre-White

2015 - Lily Yeh

2014 - Tim Robbins

2014 - Maria Rosario Jackson

2013 - Shirley Brice Heath

2012 - Marc Bamuthi Joseph

2011 - Jane Golden

2010 - Gigi Antoni

2009 - Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

2008 - David N. Baker

2007 - Liz Lerman

2006 - MetLife Foundation

2005 - Wallace Foundation

2004 - Howard Gardner

2003 - Henry Fogel

2002 - Dr. Billy Taylor

2001 - National Dance Institute

2000 - Anna Deavere Smith

1999 - Thomas T. Burzycki

1998 - Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust

1997 - Theodore Presser Foundation

1996 - Murry Sidlin

1995 - Celeste Holm

1994 - Jane Alexander

1993 - Hon. Melvin Steinberg

1992 - Garrick Ohlsson

1991 - Carl W. Shaver

1990 - Max Roach

1989 - Sylvia Kunin

1988 - Blanche Moyse

1987 - Joseph Gingold

1986 - Marta Istomin

1985 - Richard Colburn

1984 - Dr. Lester Glick

1983 - Dr. Sol Schoenbach

1982 - Hon. Livingston Biddle, Jr.

1981 - A.B. Spellman

1980 - Phillip K. Allen

1979 - Dr. Kenneth B. Billups

1978 - Dr. George Tatham

1977 - Dr. Herbert Zipper

1976 - Roger L. Stevens

1975 - David Rockefeller, Jr.

1974 - Donald MacNaughton

1973 - Paul Rosenbaum