2002 Laureate Prize Winner
Yo-Yo Ma
2002 Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate in the Arts
The multifaceted career of internationally acclaimed cellist and musicologist Yo-Yo Ma is testament to his continual search for new ways to stimulate artistic growth and renewal. Drawing his inspiration from a wide circle of collaborators and diverse traditions, he established the Silk Road Project and numerous innovative educational programs. The beauty and simplicity of Yo-Yo Ma's own creativity was a magical inspiration.
The Medallion
The Creativity Laureate Prize medallion, after Jean Baptiste Nini’s 1777 pot metal and terracotta medallions, now cast in silver using old lost wax techniques at the British Royal Mint. The award includes a silver medallion, which replicates Nini’s 1777 “Benjamin Franklin in Fur Cap,“ and a cash award.
Baird Auditorium
Baird Auditorium, the Natural History Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.