American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters

American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters honorary academy of notable American artists, writers, and composers. The National Institute of Arts and Letters, founded in 1898, served as the parent body for the American Academy of Arts and Letters, founded in 1904, until the two were amalgamated in 1976. Membership is limited to 250 native or naturalized U.S. citizens, of which 50 are elected to the Academy for notable achievements in art, literature, or music. The Academy-Institute also has an honorary membership of 75 foreign artists, writers, and composers to strengthen cultural ties with other countries. The Academy-Institute offers a number of prizes annually, including the Brunner Memorial Award in Architecture and the Gold Medal for excellence in the arts. The members of the Academy confer the Howells Medal, given every five years for a work of American fiction, and the Award of Merit Medal, given in five categories of the arts to a person not affiliated with the Academy. Located in New York City, it maintains a museum and a library (23,000 volumes), and holds exhibitions of works of art, manuscripts, books, and scores. It also purchases paintings by American artists for distribution to museums.

Bibliography: See A Century of Arts and Letters (1998), ed. by J. Updike.

American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters US association formed by the merger (1977) of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The academy's membership is limited to 250 individuals of literary, musical, or artistic achievement. Awards are given annually for distinguished and creative work in painting, sculpture, literature, and drama.

American Academy of Arts and Letters, organization that amalgamated (1976) the American Institute of Arts and Letters (founded 1898), modeled on the French Academy, with 250 members divided into sections in Art, Literature, and Music, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters (founded 1904), an honorary circle of 50 members within the Institute. Both were chartered by acts of Congress. The Academy's purpose is to promote American literature, art, and music by honoring prominent persons in these fields, presenting public addresses, bringing representatives of foreign academies to the U.S., and organizing conferences, publications, collections, and awards. Authors among the original Academy members included Henry Adams, Aldrich, Burroughs, Clemens, Hay, Howells, J.C. Harris, Henry James, C.E. Norton, and Stedman.