Americans for the Arts, the leading organization for advancing the arts in America, announces recipients of the 2009 National Arts Awards. The annual awards recognize those artists and arts leaders who exhibit exemplary national leadership and whose work demonstrates extraordinary artistic achievement. They are organizations and individuals—artists, business leaders, and patrons—who understand that the arts enrich people and communities alike.

This year, the following will be honored:

Robert Redford, Lifetime Achievement Award
Salman Rushdie, Kitty Carlisle Hart Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts
Ed Ruscha, Artistic Excellence Award
Sidney Harman, Frederick R. Weisman Award for Philanthropy in the Arts
Rosario Dawson, Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence
Anne Finucane, Bank of America, Corporate Citizenship in the Arts Award

Rosario Dawson, Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence
As a critically-acclaimed actress, producer, and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Voto Latino, Rosario Dawson is making both meaningful art and a lasting difference. Discovered as a teenager and cast in the controversial hit Kids, Ms. Dawson has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought after leading ladies, yet remains a dedicated advocate for young people. She recently starred in Eagle Eye, Grindhouse, Rent, Seven Pounds, and Sin City. In 2004, she co-founded Voto Latino, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to increase American Latino youth civic participation by both increasing voter turnout and political involvement among this group.

From Art Daily

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