Other honourees include author Sandra Cisneros, the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, musician Santiago Jimenez, Jr, playwright and director Moises Kaufman, dancer and choreographer Ralph Lemon, playwright and actor Luis Valdez and painter Jack Whitten, reports variety.com.

The National Council on the Arts, which oversees the National Endowment for the Arts, reviews nominations and sends recommendations to the president, who determines the honorees.

Also being honoured will be recipients of the National Humanities Medal -- author Rudolfo Anaya, chef Jose Andres, author Ron Chernow, poet Louise Glück, radio host Terry Gross, composer and musician Wynton Marsalis, author James McBride, author Louis Menand, historian Elaine Pagels, the Prison University Project, physician Abraham Verghese, and journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson.