The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors

In a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage Honorees will be saluted by today's leading performers from New York, Hollywood and the arts capitals of the world, accepting the recognition and gratitude of their peers through performances and tributes. The Honors recipients are recognized for their contributions to American culture through the performing arts - whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures or television - and are confirmed by the Executive Committee of the Center's Board of Trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; the selection process, over the years, has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines. The Honorees include acclaimed actor and filmmaker George Clooney; contemporary Christian pop singer-songwriter Amy Grant; the legendary singer of soul, gospel, R&B and pop Gladys Knight; Cuban-born American composer, conductor and educator Tania León; and iconic Irish rock band U2.