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List of National Artists Award
List of National Artists Award
List of National Artists Award
The National Artist Award is the highest national recognition given to Filipinos who have made
significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts and letters. It was created through
Presidential Proclamation No. 1001 on April 27, 1972.
Jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP), the award is conferred by the Philippine President upon
recommendation by both institutions.
The rank and title of National Artist is conferred by means of a presidential proclamation. It
recognizes excellence in the fields of music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, film and broadcast
arts and architecture, or allied arts.
To date, there are 66 national artists, 24 of whom received the recognition posthumously, including
renowned painter Fernando Amorsolo, who was the first to receive the award in 1972.
Criteria
The criteria for selecting a national artist include Filipino citizenship, the contribution of their works
to nation-building, impact of their distinctive and pioneering works or styles on succeeding
generations of artists, excellence in the practice of their art form which enriches artistic expression
or style, and prestigious national and international recognitions.
The National Artist Award secretariat (the NCCA and CCP) announces the opening of nominations
through media releases and letters to qualified organizations, such as government and
nongovernment cultural organizations, educational institutions, and private foundations and
councils.
The National Artist Award Panel of Experts and Jury of Experts, with the living national artists as
automatic members, screen and deliberate on the nominees, after which a final list of recommendees
is sent to the President for the issuance of proclamation.
Benefits
Aside from a gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, national artists are
given a lifetime emolument as well as material and physical benefits comparable in value to those
received by the highest officials of the land, such as: a minimum cash award of P200,000 net of
taxes for living awardees, and a minimum cash award of P150,000 net of taxes for posthumous
awardees, which are payable to their legal heir/s; a minimum lifetime monthly stipend of P30,000; a
life insurance coverage for awardees who are still insurable; state funeral benefits not exceeding
P500,000; and a place of honor in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies and cultural
presentations.–Inquirer Research
Sources: Official Gazette; ncca.gov.ph
Nominations for National Artist of the Philippines are based on a broad criteria, as set forth by the Cultural Center of the
Philippines and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts:
Living artists who have been Filipino citizens for the last ten years prior to nomination as well as those who have died after the
establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death;
Artists who have helped build a Filipino sense of nationhood through the content and form of their works;
Artists who have distinguished themselves by pioneering in a mode of creative expression or style, making an impact on
succeeding generations of artists;
Artists who have created a significant body of works and/or have consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art
form, enriching artistic expression or style; and
Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious national and/or international recognition, awards in prestigious national
and/or international events, critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works, and/or respect and esteem from peers within an artistic
discipline.
Nominations are then submitted to the National Artist Secretariat that is created by the National Artist Award Committee; experts
from the different art fields then sit on a First Deliberation to prepare the short list of nominees. A Second Deliberation, which is
a joint meeting of the Commissioners of the NCCA and the Board of Trustees of the CCP, decides on the final recomendees. The
list is then forwarded to the President of the Philippines, who, by Presidential Proclamation, proclaims the final nominees as
members of the Order of National Artists.
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