American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal (Belles Lettres and Criticism)
あめりかげいじゅつぶんがくあかでみー きんめだる（ぶんげい・ひひょう）
Among the Gold Medals awarded by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, this is the gold medal in the Belles Lettres and Criticism category. An honorary award given to individuals with distinguished achievements in belles lettres, criticism, or essays.
- Established
- 1916
- Organizer
- American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Category
- Criticism and Critical Writing
- Selection Method
- Recommendation
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- Twice a year (Academy awards 2 recipients per year overall, rotating through categories)
- Status
- Active
Description
Among the Gold Medals awarded annually by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, this is the medal for the Belles Lettres and Criticism category. Two recipients are selected each year, with categories rotating among multiple divisions. Recipients are determined by recommendations from Academy members and internal selection (committee review and member voting). In 1915, it was resolved to create a gold medal for 'special distinction (special merit for entire career)' for non-members, and overall lifetime achievements may also be evaluated.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Gold Medal (Honorary Award) — No specific monetary prize amount has been publicly announced
- Certificate and Gold Medal
- Presented at an Academy-hosted ceremony
- Publicized via official press release and honor
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomination (Recommendation) | Recommendations by members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters | — | Candidates are usually not public. Winners are announced officially later |
| Review by Committee | Selection Committee (internal to the Academy) | — | Results of internal review are not public |
| Decision by Member Vote | Voting by Academy members | — | Winners announced on official website and press releases |
| Awarding and Ceremony | Academy | — | Awarded at the Academy's ceremony and officially publicized |
Criteria
- Distinguished achievement in belles lettres, criticism, and essays
- Influence, originality, and sustained impact of long-term writing or critical activities
- In some cases, evaluation of overall career as lifetime achievement (special distinction)
Application Tips
Dos
- Organize long-term achievements and representative works (publishing history, reviews, citations, etc.)
- Clearly present examples demonstrating influence and originality in the field (belles lettres, criticism, essays)
- Reference official releases and past Academy winners to understand highly valued achievements
Don''ts
- Do not rely only on short-term hits (lifetime and sustained achievements are emphasized)
- The Academy's selection is by nomination, not to be treated the same as self-application contests
- Do not appeal solely with claims lacking public records or sources
From Judges
- (Judging Perspective) Emphasis on quality and consistency of works, sustained contributions to the field
- Originality, influence, and recognition in the expert community are important
- If evaluated as lifetime achievement, demonstrate the depth and breadth of overall achievements
Related Awards
- Other Gold Medals from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (Painting, Fiction, Poetry, etc.)
- List of American literary awards
- Pulitzer Prize
- National Book Award
- National Book Critics Circle Award
- MacArthur Fellowship (fellowship akin to achievement award)