NEW YORK (Reuters) - Madonna will be honored at the Billboard Music Awards show this month for her 2012 MDNA tour, the high grossing concert tour of the year, organizers of the awards show said on Wednesday.
The singer will accept the Top Touring Artist award at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 19th for the tour that grossed more than $305 million from 88 sold-out shows and attracted an audience of 2.2 million people.
"A cultural icon, Madonna is one of the most successful and influential entertainers of all time and was recently named Billboard's Top Money Maker of 2012," Billboard said in a statement.
The chart-topping singer holds numerous other Billboard awards, including the record for the most top 10 singles (38).
In addition to her music, Madonna is also an avid art collector. On Tuesday she sold a 1921 painting by the French artist Fernand Leger, "Trois Femmes a la Table Rouge," for $7.16 million to raise money for the non-profit Ray of Light Foundation, to fund girls' education in poor countries.
The mother of four, including two adopted children from Malawi, is planning to build 10 schools in the African nation.
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Vicki Allen)