Joan Shigekawa

Arts Leader
2021 National Medal of Arts Recipient
Older white male in blue suit posing with older Asian woman in colorful dress in front of flags and gold curtain.

Joan Shigekawa accepting the National Medal of Arts from President Joe Biden. Photo by Cheriss May

Bio

For a lifetime of service to art in America. Throughout her career, Joan Shigekawa has championed artists, created global exchanges, and promoted the power of the arts to heal, build strong economies, and help people and Nations reach their full potential.