Twenty-three Americans have been chosen to receive this year’s National Medals for Arts and Humanities.

The list of Arts Medal recipients includes soprano Renee Fleming, Angels In America author Tony Kushner; A&M Music founder and Tijuana Brass leader Herb Alpert; filmmaker George Lucas; and playwright, director, and comedienne Elaine May.

Recipients of the National Medals for Humanities include author Joan Didion; actress Anna Deveare Smith; and Robert B. Smith, editor and co-founder of the New York Review of Books.

US President Barack Obama will give out the medals next Wednesday at the White House.