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class="l-constrain"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> <main id="main" class="main " role="main" tabindex="-1"> <div class="l-content"> <div class="l-narrow-content"> <div class="l-narrow-content__header"> <div class="l-constrain"> <nav class="breadcrumb" role="navigation" aria-label="Breadcrumb"> <ol class="breadcrumb__list"> <li class="breadcrumb__item"> <a class="breadcrumb__link" href="/">Home</a> </li> <li class="breadcrumb__item"> <a class="breadcrumb__link" href="/about">About</a> </li> </ol> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="l-narrow-content__wrapper"> <div class="l-narrow-content__main"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain--xs"> <div class="page-title"> <h1 class="page-title__title ">National Council on the Arts</h1> </div> <section class="l-section"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain--xs"> <div class="l-section__content"> <p><a class="arrow-link inline" href=" https://youtu.be/0NakQno4qQc">Watch the on-demand recording of the October 25, 2024 Public Session </a></p><h3>History and Purpose</h3><p>The National Council on the Arts advises the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who also chairs the Council, on agency policies and programs. It reviews and makes recommendations to the Chairman on applications for grants, funding guidelines, and leadership initiatives.</p><p>The Council was established through the National Arts and Cultural Development Act of 1964, a full year before the federal agency was created by Congressional legislation. Its first members were appointed by President Lyndon Johnson and included noted artists such as Ralph Ellison, Paul Engle, Elizabeth Ashley, Gregory Peck, Oliver Smith, William Pereira, Minoru Yamasaki, George Stevens Sr., Leonard Bernstein, Agnes de Mille, David Smith, and Isaac Stern.</p><p>The National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 established the National Endowment for the Arts and provided for 26 citizens to serve as advisors to the agency as members of the National Council on the Arts. Members are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate for six-year, staggered terms. Congress has since enacted legislation that reduced the membership of the Council. Currently, there are 18 members of the National Council on the Arts and an additional six members of Congress to serve in an ex officio, non-voting capacity for two-year terms.</p><p>The Presidential appointments, by law, are selected for their widely recognized knowledge of the arts or their expertise or profound interest in the arts. They have records of distinguished service or achieved eminence in the arts and are appointed so as to represent equitably all geographical areas of the country. Congressional members are appointed in the following manner: two by the Speaker of the House, one by the Minority Leader of the House, two by the Majority Leader of the Senate, and one by the Minority Leader of the Senate.</p><h3>Roles and Functions</h3><p>The major areas in which the Council advises the agency and its Chairman are:</p><ul><li>Applications for Federal grant funds recommended by advisory panels;</li><li>Guidelines outlining funding categories, objectives, and eligibility;</li><li>Leadership initiatives and partnership agreements with other agencies;</li><li>Agency budget levels, allocations, and funding priorities;</li><li>Policy directions involving Congressional legislation and other issues of importance to the arts nationally.</li></ul><p>The Council also recommends individuals and organizations to receive the National Medal of Arts, a Presidential award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the arts in America.</p><p>Currently, Council meetings are convened for one-day sessions three times per year, usually on Fridays in March, July, and October. Meetings are held at the Constitution Center in Washington, <abbr title="District of Columbia">DC</abbr>, and are open to the public. The day before the Council meeting, members are briefed by staff about the pending grant applications that they will consider, as well as the deliberations of the advisory panels that reviewed them. These informational sessions are closed to the public. Agendas are posted on the Web site.</p><p><a class="arrow-link inline" href="/node/145916" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d324f73f-81a9-4cdb-8262-c29ef62d5939" data-entity-substitution="canonical">Previous public session webcasts</a></p><h3>Current Council Members</h3><p><strong>Ismael Ahmed</strong><br>State and University Official/Nonprofit Executive Director</p><p><strong>Kinan Azmeh</strong><br>Clarinet Player/Composer</p><p><strong>Bidtah Becker</strong><br>Attorney</p><p><strong>Bruce Carter, PhD </strong><br>Arts Researcher</p><p><strong>Gretchen Gonzales Davidson</strong><br>State Arts Agency Chair</p><p><strong>Aaron Dworkin</strong><br>Social Entrepreneur/Music Educator</p><p><strong>Kamilah Forbes</strong><br>Director/Producer</p><p><strong>Deepa Gupta </strong><br>Philanthropic Professional</p><p><strong>Paul Hodes </strong><br>Attorney/Musician/Former Congressman</p><p><strong>Emil J. Kang</strong> <br>Arts Philanthropy Professional</p><p><strong>Michael Lombardo</strong><br>Film & Television Studio President</p><p><strong>Mar铆a L贸pez De Le贸n </strong><br>Arts Administrator</p><p><strong>Huascar Medina</strong><br>Author/Editor</p><p><strong>Christopher Morgan</strong><br>Choreographer/Educator/Arts Administrator</p><p><strong>Fiona Whelan Prine </strong><br>Record Label/Foundation President</p><p><strong>Ranee Ramaswamy </strong> <br>Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher</p><p><strong>Jake Shimabukuro</strong><br>Ukulele Player</p><p><strong>Constance Williams</strong><br>Entrepreneur/Consultant<br> </p><p>* Council members continue to serve even after their terms expire until their replacements are confirmed by the Senate.</p><h4>Ex-Officio Members, United States Congress</h4><p><strong>Senate</strong></p><p>Tammy Baldwin<strong> </strong>(D-WI)</p><p><strong>House</strong></p><p>Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)</p><p>Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania)</p><p>Appointment by Majority and Minority leadership of the remaining Members of Congress to the Council is pending.</p> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="l-narrow-content__footer"> <section class="l-section"> <div class="l-constrain l-constrain--xs"> <div class="l-section__content"> <h2>October 2024 Public Meeting</h2><p><iframe width="640" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0NakQno4qQc?si=tE108J8tyatbMABw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p><h2>Upcoming Public Meeting</h2><p>March 28, 2025<br>Washington, DC</p> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div class="e-newsletter"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="e-newsletter__wrapper"> <div class="e-newsletter__content"> <h3 class="e-newsletter__title">Stay Connected to the National Endowment for the Arts</h3> <div class="e-newsletter__text">Sign up for our newsletters and magazine</div> </div> <div class="e-newsletter__buttons"> <a href="/sign-up-for-updates" class="button button--secondary">Newsletter Signup</a> <a href="/form/sign-up-for-american-artscape-magazine" class="button button--secondary">Magazine Signup</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="l-footer" role="contentinfo"> <div class="l-constrain"> <div class="l-footer__menu"> <ul class="menu menu--footer" role="menu" aria-label="Footer"> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/46441">About</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/leadership-staff/all-staff" class="menu__link" role="menuitem">Contact Us</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/civil-rights-office" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/45556">Civil Rights</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/freedom-of-information-act-foia-guide" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/45151">FOIA</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/civil-rights-office/applicants-for-employment-and-employees/no-fear-act" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/45696">No Fear Act</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/inspector-general" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/45021">Inspector General</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/impact/accessibility" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/46451">Accessibility</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/privacy" class="menu__link" role="menuitem">Privacy Policy</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/website-disclaimers" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/87061">Disclaimers</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/open-government" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/45011">Open Government</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="http://www.usa.gov/" class="menu__link" role="menuitem">USA.gov</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/section-508-accessibility" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/343186">Section 508 Accessibility</a> </li> <li class="menu__item" role="none"> <a href="/about/national-endowment-arts-warns-public-about-grant-scam" class="menu__link" role="menuitem" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/272011">Scam Regarding NEA Grants</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="l-footer__bottom"> <div class="l-footer__contact"> <div class="l-footer__address">400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20506 </div> <a class="l-footer__phone" href="tel:202.682.5400">202.682.5400</a> </div> <div class="l-footer__social-menu"> <div class="social-menu"> <a class="social-menu__link twitter-x" href="https://twitter.com/NEAarts">Follow us on X</a> <a class="social-menu__link facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/NationalEndowmentfortheArts">Follow us on facebook</a> <a class="social-menu__link linkedin" href="https://linkedin.com/company/national-endowment-for-the-arts">Follow us on LinkedIn</a> <a class="social-menu__link apple" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-works-podcasts/id1058911829?mt=2">Apple store</a> <a class="social-menu__link instagram" href="https://instagram.com/neaarts/">Follow us on instagram</a> <a class="social-menu__link youtube" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/NEAarts">Follow us on youtube</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_vDD42XzB0ZGiSGusAsteyxRhS_6_sRm1p6rys68YuyM.js?scope=footer&delta=0&language=en&theme=gesso&include=eJxdx0EKgDAMBdELFXOk8tvGoE2N2BQ8vi4EUZjFvIRco9vdTun9uPYg3LuRqCVo4NN12SqVY-zQ6WEQM1GODiHx9iXk7wkrzmBpHj3DOXLDolR4xlC_AJprNY4"></script> <script src="//dap.digitalgov.gov/Universal-Federated-Analytics-Min.js?agency=NEA" async id="_fed_an_ua_tag"></script> <script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_IfIJY5rGm9fRYq1qRvJcUV3WdoD5Ox-7valN3cZ_bOk.js?scope=footer&delta=2&language=en&theme=gesso&include=eJxdx0EKgDAMBdELFXOk8tvGoE2N2BQ8vi4EUZjFvIRco9vdTun9uPYg3LuRqCVo4NN12SqVY-zQ6WEQM1GODiHx9iXk7wkrzmBpHj3DOXLDolR4xlC_AJprNY4"></script> </body> </html>