Distinguished Artist Award Recipients
| 2025 | Marla Miller | Historical Nonfiction |
| 2024 | Rhoda Rosenberg | Print Making |
| 2023 | Balla Kouyaté | World Contemporary Music |
| 2022 | Ann_Beattie | Short Fiction |
| 2021 | Daniela Rivera | Multi Media |
| 2020 | Michael Gandolfi | Composer |
| 2019 | Afaa Michael Weaver | Poetry |
| 2018 | Danielle Abrams | Performance Art |
| 2017 | Anne Azéma | Director of an Ensemble |
| 2016 | Alan Lightman | Physicist & Novelist |
| 2015 | Gregory Crewdson | Photographer |
| 2014 | David Ripley | Bass-Baritone |
| 2013 | Edward O. Wilson | Biologist, Theorist, Naturalist & Writer |
| 2012 | Ellen Driscoll | Sculpture, Drawing, Installation |
| 2011 | Peter Sykes | Organ |
| 2010 | Jean Carroon | Preservation Architecture |
| 2009 | M. T. Anderson | Author |
| 2008 | David Sutherland | Documentary Filmmaker |
| 2007 | Gerry Bergstein | Painter Robert Ferrandini | Painter |
| 2006 | Borromeo String Quartet |
| 2005 | Gail Mazur | Poetry |
| 2004 | Michael Beatty | Sculptor Linda Price-Sneddon | Sculptor |
| 2003 | Robert Winter | Musician |
| 2002 | Sissela Bok | Author |
| 2001 | Jeffrey Keough | Curator |
| 2000 | Shirish Korde | Composer Lee Hyla | Composer |
| 1999 | George V. Higgins | Author |
| 1998 | Kevin Hawkes | Illustrator |
| 1996 | Allan S. Chase | Musician |
| 1995 | Stanley Kunitz | Poet |
| 1994 | Abelardo Morell | Photographer |
| 1993 | Sanford Sylvan | Musician |
| 1992 | John Edgar Wideman | Author |
| 1991 | David Wheeler | Artistic Director |
| 1990 | Varujan Boghosian | Painter |
| 1989 | John Oliver | Choral Director |
| 1988 | Annie Dillard | Author |
| 1987 | Adrian Hall | Artistic Director |
| 1986 | Scott Prior | Painter |
| 1985 | Harold Wright | Musician |
| 1984 | Lawrence Anderson | Architect |
| 1983 | Richard Wilbur | Poet & Translator |
| 1982 | Aaron Siskind | Photographer |
| 1981 | Daniel Pinkham | Composer |
| 1980 | Steven Trefonides | Painter |
| 1979 | Jane Alexander | Actress |
| 1978 | Maureen Howard | Author |
| 1977 | Andrew Tavarelli | Painter |
| 1976 | Elizabeth Parcells | Voice |
| 1975 | Agnes Mongan | Art Scholar |
| 1974 | Elizabeth Bishop | Poet |
| 1973 | Lorna Cooke deVaron | Choral Director |
| 1972 | Frank T. Hubbard | Harpsichord Maker |
| 1971 | Barry B. Spacks | Author |
| 1970 | David von Schlegell | Sculptor |
| 1968 | Arthur Berger | Composer |
| 1967 | Howard Nemerov | Poet |
| 1966 | Alexander Calder | Sculptor |
| 1965 | Walter Piston | Composer |
| 1964 | Conrad Aiken | Author |
| 1963 | Edward Hopper | Painter |