Bruce Nauman, Alice Neel, Chuck Close, Cindy Sherman, Dale Chihuly, Nam June Paik: these are just a few of the approximately 5,000 artists whose once-fledgling careers have been fostered by a Visual Artists' Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Sometimes controversial, always committed to the development of art in America, from 1966 to 1995 the NEA awarded many such artists' fellowships to recipients in a diverse range of disciplines. A Creative Legacy presents a compelling insider account of this innovative government program -- how its policies were determined, its panelists selected, and the artists evaluated. The 100 color and nearly 200 black-and-white illustrations showcase a significant sampling of work by both notable and less-recognized honorees; all recipients from 1965 to 1995 are listed in the extensive indices.