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{{Organization
|OrganizationName=National Endowment for the Arts
|OrganizationType=Independent agency
|Mission=To strengthen the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation.
|ParentOrganization=Independent Agency within the U.S. Federal Government
|CreationLegislation=National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965
|Employees=150
|Budget=$167.5 million (FY 2023)
|OrganizationExecutive=Chair (National Endowment for the Arts)
|Services=Grants for Arts Projects, which support public engagement with the arts, including literature, visual arts, dance, music, theater, and more.
Art Works, funding for individuals and organizations to create or present art.
Research and Analysis, providing data and analysis on the arts in America.
State and Regional Partnerships, supporting arts organizations through state and regional arts agencies.
|Regulations=Compliance with the requirements of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act.
Adherence to federal grant administration policies, including those from the Office of Management and Budget.
|HeadquartersLocation=38.88421, -77.02151
|HeadquartersAddress=400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20506
|Website=https://www.arts.gov
}}
{{short description|Independent agency of the United States federal government}}
{{short description|Independent agency of the United States federal government}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
 
{{Infobox government agency
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name = National Endowment for the Arts
|agency_name = National Endowment for the Arts
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The '''National Endowment for the Arts''' ('''NEA''') is an independent agency of the [[United States federal government]] that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence.<ref name=aboutus>{{cite web|url=http://www.nea.gov/about/index.html|author=National Endowment for the Arts|title=About Us|access-date=March 13, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901102346/http://www.nea.gov/about/index.html|archive-date=September 1, 2006}}</ref> It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government by an act of the [[Congress of the United States|U.S. Congress]], signed by President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] on September 29, 1965 ([[20 U.S.C.]] 951).<ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S.C. Title 20 - EDUCATION|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2018-title20/html/USCODE-2018-title20-chap26-subchapI-sec951.htm|access-date=October 2, 2020|website=www.govinfo.gov}}</ref> It is a sub-agency of the [[National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities]], along with the [[National Endowment for the Humanities]], the [[Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities]], and the [[Institute of Museum and Library Services]].
The '''National Endowment for the Arts''' ('''NEA''') is an independent agency of the [[United States federal government]] that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence.<ref name=aboutus>{{cite web|url=http://www.nea.gov/about/index.html|author=National Endowment for the Arts|title=About Us|access-date=March 13, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901102346/http://www.nea.gov/about/index.html|archive-date=September 1, 2006}}</ref> It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government by an act of the [[Congress of the United States|U.S. Congress]], signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 29, 1965 ([[20 U.S.C.]] 951).<ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S.C. Title 20 - EDUCATION|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2018-title20/html/USCODE-2018-title20-chap26-subchapI-sec951.htm|access-date=October 2, 2020|website=www.govinfo.gov}}</ref> It is a sub-agency of the [[National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities]], along with the [[National Endowment for the Humanities]], the [[Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities]], and the [[Institute of Museum and Library Services]].


The NEA  has its offices in Washington, D.C. It was awarded [[Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre]] in 1995, as well as the [[Special Tony Award]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/winners.html |title=The 2016 Tony Awards: Winners |access-date=June 14, 2016}}</ref> In 1985, the NEA won an honorary Oscar from the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] for its work with the [[American Film Institute]] in the identification, acquisition, restoration and preservation of historic films.<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Endowment for the Arts wins Honorary Oscar|url=https://www.oscars.org/search/site/national%20endowment%20for%20the%20arts}}</ref> In 2016 and again in 2017, the National Endowment for the Arts received [[Emmy]] nominations from the Television Academy in the Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/national-endowment-arts-united-states-arts|title = National Endowment for the Arts: United States of Arts}}</ref>
The NEA  has its offices in Washington, D.C. It was awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, as well as the Special Tony Award in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/winners.html |title=The 2016 Tony Awards: Winners |access-date=June 14, 2016}}</ref> In 1985, the NEA won an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its work with the American Film Institute in the identification, acquisition, restoration and preservation of historic films.<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Endowment for the Arts wins Honorary Oscar|url=https://www.oscars.org/search/site/national%20endowment%20for%20the%20arts}}</ref> In 2016 and again in 2017, the National Endowment for the Arts received Emmy nominations from the Television Academy in the Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/national-endowment-arts-united-states-arts|title = National Endowment for the Arts: United States of Arts}}</ref>


==History and purpose==
==History and purpose==
The National Endowment for the Arts was created during the term of President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] under the general auspices of the [[Great Society]]. According to historian Karen Patricia Heath, "Johnson personally was not much interested in the acquisition of knowledge, cultural or otherwise, for its own sake, nor did he have time for art appreciation or meeting with artists."<ref>Karen Patricia Heath,  "Artistic scarcity in an age of material abundance: President Lyndon Johnson, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Great Society liberalism." ''European Journal of American Culture'' 36.1 (2017): 5-22. [https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:648dbe27-79fa-4a83-abef-64a4f656619d/download_file?safe_filename=KHeath_EJAC_2017.pdf&file_format=application%2Fpdf&type_of_work=Journal+article online]</ref>
The National Endowment for the Arts was created during the term of President Lyndon B. Johnson under the general auspices of the Great Society. According to historian Karen Patricia Heath, "Johnson personally was not much interested in the acquisition of knowledge, cultural or otherwise, for its own sake, nor did he have time for art appreciation or meeting with artists."<ref>Karen Patricia Heath,  "Artistic scarcity in an age of material abundance: President Lyndon Johnson, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Great Society liberalism." ''European Journal of American Culture'' 36.1 (2017): 5-22. [https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:648dbe27-79fa-4a83-abef-64a4f656619d/download_file?safe_filename=KHeath_EJAC_2017.pdf&file_format=application%2Fpdf&type_of_work=Journal+article online]</ref>


The NEA is "dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education".<ref name=aboutus />
The NEA is "dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education".<ref name=aboutus />
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===Lifetime honors===
===Lifetime honors===
The NEA is the federal agency responsible for recognizing outstanding achievement in the arts. It does this by awarding three lifetime achievement awards. The [[NEA Jazz Masters|NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships]] are awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the art of jazz. The NEA [[National Heritage Fellowship]]s are awarded for artistic excellence and accomplishments for American's folk and traditional arts. The [[List of National Medal of Arts recipients|National Medal of Arts]] is awarded by the President of the United States and NEA for outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
The NEA is the federal agency responsible for recognizing outstanding achievement in the arts. It does this by awarding three lifetime achievement awards. The [[NEA Jazz Masters|NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships]] are awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the art of jazz. The NEA [[National Heritage Fellowship]]s are awarded for artistic excellence and accomplishments for American's folk and traditional arts. The [[List of National Medal of Arts recipients|National Medal of Arts]] is awarded by the President of the United States and NEA for outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
==Controversy==
===1981 attempts to abolish===
Upon entering office in 1981, the incoming [[Ronald Reagan]] administration intended to push Congress to abolish the NEA completely over a three-year period. Reagan's first director of the Office of Management and Budget, [[David A. Stockman]], thought the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities were "good [departments] to simply bring to a halt because they went too far, and they would be easy to defeat." Another proposal would have halved the arts endowment budget. However, these plans were abandoned when the President's special task force on the arts and humanities, which included close Reagan allies such as conservatives [[Charlton Heston]] and [[Joseph Coors]], discovered "the needs involved and benefits of past assistance," concluding that continued federal support was important. Frank Hodsoll became the chairman of the NEA in 1981, and while the department's budget decreased from $158.8 million in 1981 to $143.5 million, by 1989 it was $169.1 million, the highest it had ever been.<ref>{{cite news |title=Book Discloses That Reagan Planned To Kill National Endowment for Arts |author=William H. Honan |author-link=William H. Honan |newspaper=New York Times |date=May 15, 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/15/arts/book-discloses-that-reagan-planned-to-kill-national-endowment-for-arts.html?scp=1&sq=Reagan%20National%20Endowment&st=cse }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-gioia-trump-administration-should-not-defund-the-nea-20170219-story.html|title=For the umpteenth time, the National Endowment for the Arts deserves its funding|last=Gioia|first=Dana|website=Los Angeles Times|date=February 17, 2017|access-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/frank-hodsoll-nea-chairman-who-championed-arts-under-reagan-dies-at-78/2016/07/26/c7b8a512-5337-11e6-88eb-7dda4e2f2aec_story.html|title=Frank Hodsoll, NEA chairman who championed arts under Reagan, dies at 78|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=February 20, 2017}}</ref>
===1989 objections===
In 1989, [[Donald Wildmon]] of the [[American Family Association]] held a press conference attacking what he called "anti-Christian bigotry," in an exhibition by photographer [[Andres Serrano]]. The work at the center of the controversy was ''[[Piss Christ]]'', a photo of a plastic [[crucifix]] submerged in a vial of an amber fluid described by the artist as his own urine.<ref>{{cite book|author=Paul Monaco|title=Understanding Society, Culture, and Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9viccUYUSVYC|year=2000|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-275-97095-6|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9viccUYUSVYC&pg=PA100 100]}}</ref> [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Senators [[Jesse Helms]] and [[Al D'Amato]] began to rally against the NEA, and expanded the attack to include other artists. Prominent conservative Christian figures including [[Pat Robertson]] of the ''[[700 Club]]'' and [[Pat Buchanan]] joined the attacks. Republican representative [[Dick Armey]], an opponent of federal arts funding, began to attack a planned exhibition of photographs by [[Robert Mapplethorpe]] at the [[Corcoran Museum of Art]] that was to receive NEA support.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
On June 12, 1989, The Corcoran cancelled the Mapplethorpe exhibition, saying that it did not want to "adversely affect the NEA's congressional appropriations." The [[Washington Project for the Arts]] later hosted the Mapplethorpe show. The cancellation was highly criticized and in September 1989, the Director of the Corcoran gallery, Christina Orr-Cahill, issued a formal statement of apology saying, "The Corcoran Gallery of Art in attempting to defuse the NEA funding controversy by removing itself from the political spotlight, has instead found itself in the center of controversy. By withdrawing from the Mapplethorpe exhibition, we, the board of trustees and the director, have inadvertently offended many members of the arts community which we deeply regret. Our course in the future will be to support art, artists and freedom of expression."<ref name=maplethorpe>{{cite web|last=Quigley|first=Margaret|title=The Mapplethorpe Censorship Controversy|url=http://www.publiceye.org/theocrat/Mapplethorpe_Chrono.html |publisher=PublicEye.org/[[Political Research Associates]]|access-date=October 2, 2009}}</ref>
[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] representative [[Pat Williams (Montana politician)|Pat Williams]], chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the NEA reauthorization, partnered with Republican [[Tom Coleman (Missouri politician)|Tom Coleman]] to formulate a compromise bill to save the Endowment. The Williams-Coleman substitute increased funding to states arts councils for new programs to expand access to the arts in rural and inner city areas, leave the obscenity determination to the courts, and altered the composition of the review panels to increase diversity of representation and eradicate the possibility of conflicts of interest.<ref>Kresse, Mary Ellen (January 1, 1991). "[https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1670&context=buffalolawreview Turmoil at the National Endowment for the Arts: Can Federally Funded Act Sur unded Act Survive the "Mapplethorpe Contr e the "Mapplethorpe Controversy" ?]". ''Buffalo Law Review'': 44 – via Digital Commons.</ref> After fierce debate, the language embodied in the Williams-Coleman substitute prevailed and subsequently became law.<ref>Parachini, ''Changed NEA Likely Even Without Content Rules'', L.A. Times, October 29, 1990 [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-29-ca-2638-story.html Online]</ref>
Though this controversy inspired congressional debate about appropriations to the NEA, including proposed restrictions on the content of NEA-supported work and their grantmaking guidelines, efforts to defund the NEA failed.<ref>C. Carr, [http://www.franklinfurnace.org/research/essays/nea4/neatimeline.html Timeline of NEA 4 events], [http://www.franklinfurnace.org/ franklinfurnace.org]</ref>
===1990 performance artists vetoed===
{{Main|NEA Four}}
Conservative media continued to attack individual artists whose NEA-supported work was deemed controversial. The "NEA Four", [[Karen Finley]], [[Tim Miller (performance artist)|Tim Miller]], [[John Fleck (actor)|John Fleck]], and [[Holly Hughes (performance artist)|Holly Hughes]], were performance artists whose proposed grants from the United States government's National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) were vetoed by [[John Frohnmayer]] in June 1990. Grants were overtly vetoed on the basis of subject matter after the artists had successfully passed through a [[peer review]] process. The artists won their case in court in 1993 and were awarded amounts equal to the grant money in question, though the case would make its way to the [[United States Supreme Court]] in ''[[National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley]]''.<ref>''National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley'', 524 U.S. 569, (1998).</ref> The case centered on subsection (d)(1) of {{USC|20|954}} which provides that the NEA Chairperson shall ensure that artistic excellence and artistic merit are the criteria by which applications are judged. The court ruled in {{ussc|524|569|1998}}, that Section 954(d)(1) is facially valid, as it neither inherently interferes with First Amendment rights nor violates constitutional vagueness principles.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
===1995–1997 congressional attacks===
The [[United States elections, 1994|1994 midterm elections]] cleared the way for House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]] to lead a renewed attack on the NEA. Gingrich had called for the NEA to be eliminated along with the [[National Endowment for the Humanities]] and the [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]]. While some in Congress attacked the funding of controversial artists, others argued the endowment was wasteful and elitist.<ref>{{cite news | first=Robert | last=Hughes |author-link=Robert Hughes (critic) | title=Pulling the Fuse on Culture | date=August 7, 1995 | url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983279,00.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20091009110316/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983279,00.html | url-status =dead | archive-date =October 9, 2009 | magazine =TIME | access-date =October 3, 2009 }}</ref> However, despite massive budget cutbacks and the end of grants to individual artists, Gingrich ultimately failed in his push to eliminate the endowment.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
===Proposed defunding===
The budget outline submitted by then-president Donald Trump on March 16, 2017, to Congress would have eliminated all funding for the program.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/03/16/520401246/trumps-budget-plan-cuts-funding-for-arts-humanities-and-public-media |title=Trump Budget Cuts Funding For Arts, Humanities Endowments And Corporation For Public Broadcasting |newspaper=NPR |date=March 16, 2017|access-date=March 20, 2017|last1=Naylor |first1=Brian }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McPhee |first=Ryan |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/trump-administrations-budget-proposal-eliminates-national-endowment-for-the-arts |title=Trump Administration's Budget Proposal Eliminates National Endowment for the Arts |work=Playbill |date=March 16, 2017 |access-date=March 20, 2017}}</ref> Congress approved a budget that retained NEA funding. The White House budget proposed for fiscal year 2018 again called for elimination of funding, but Congress retained the funding for another year.<ref>[https://www.americansforthearts.org/news-room/arts-mobilization-center/national-endowment-for-the-arts-update-trump-fy2018-budget-proposal-calls-for-elimination-of-nea National Endowment for the Arts Update: Trump FY2018 Budget Proposal Calls for Elimination of NEA Funding]</ref>


==Chairpersons==
==Chairpersons==
* 1965–1969 [[Roger L. Stevens]], appointed by [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
* 1965–1969 [[Roger L. Stevens]], appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
* 1969–1977 [[Nancy Hanks (NEA)|Nancy Hanks]], appointed by [[Richard M. Nixon]]
* 1969–1977 [[Nancy Hanks (NEA)|Nancy Hanks]], appointed by [[Richard M. Nixon]]
* 1977–1981 [[Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.]], appointed by [[Jimmy Carter]]
* 1977–1981 [[Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.]], appointed by [[Jimmy Carter]]
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* 1993–1997 [[Jane Alexander]], appointed by [[Bill Clinton]]
* 1993–1997 [[Jane Alexander]], appointed by [[Bill Clinton]]
* 1998–2001 [[Bill Ivey]], appointed by [[Bill Clinton]]
* 1998–2001 [[Bill Ivey]], appointed by [[Bill Clinton]]
* 2002 [[Michael P. Hammond]], appointed by [[George W. Bush]]
* 2002 [[Michael P. Hammond]], appointed by George W. Bush
* 2002–2003 Eileen Beth Mason, Acting Chairman, appointed by [[George W. Bush]]
* 2002–2003 Eileen Beth Mason, Acting Chairman, appointed by George W. Bush
* 2003–2009 [[Dana Gioia]], appointed by [[George W. Bush]]
* 2003–2009 [[Dana Gioia]], appointed by George W. Bush
* 2009 Patrice Walker Powell, Acting Chairman, appointed by [[Barack Obama]]<ref>[http://www.nea.gov/news/news09/nea-acting-chairman.html "National Endowment for the Arts Announces New Acting Chairman"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404150353/http://www.nea.gov/news/news09/nea-acting-chairman.html |date=April 4, 2009 }}, NEA press release dated February 2, 2009, at NEA website.</ref><ref>Robin Pogrebin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/arts/16mone.html "Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force,"] ''[[New York Times]]'', February 16, 2009.</ref>
* 2009 Patrice Walker Powell, Acting Chairman, appointed by [[Barack Obama]]<ref>[http://www.nea.gov/news/news09/nea-acting-chairman.html "National Endowment for the Arts Announces New Acting Chairman"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404150353/http://www.nea.gov/news/news09/nea-acting-chairman.html |date=April 4, 2009 }}, NEA press release dated February 2, 2009, at NEA website.</ref><ref>Robin Pogrebin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/arts/16mone.html "Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force,"] ''[[New York Times]]'', February 16, 2009.</ref>
* 2009–2012 [[Rocco Landesman]], appointed by [[Barack Obama]]<ref>Robin Pogrebin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/theater/13nea.html?src=twr "Producer Is Chosen to Lead Arts Endowment"], ''[[New York Times]]'', May 13, 2009.</ref><ref>Davi Napoleon, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230516/http://www.thefastertimes.com/ "Mr. Landesman Goes to Washington"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713204000/http://thefastertimes.com/theatertalk/2009/06/13/mr-landesman-goes-to-washington/ |date=July 13, 2009 }}, ''[[The Faster Times]]'', June 13, 2009.</ref><ref name="confirmed">Robin Pogrebin, [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/rocco-landesman-confirmed-as-chairman-of-the-national-endowment-for-the-arts/ "Rocco Landesman Confirmed as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts"], ''[[New York Times]]'', August 7, 2009.</ref>
* 2009–2012 [[Rocco Landesman]], appointed by [[Barack Obama]]<ref>Robin Pogrebin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/theater/13nea.html?src=twr "Producer Is Chosen to Lead Arts Endowment"], ''[[New York Times]]'', May 13, 2009.</ref><ref>Davi Napoleon, [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230516/http://www.thefastertimes.com/ "Mr. Landesman Goes to Washington"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713204000/http://thefastertimes.com/theatertalk/2009/06/13/mr-landesman-goes-to-washington/ |date=July 13, 2009 }}, ''[[The Faster Times]]'', June 13, 2009.</ref><ref name="confirmed">Robin Pogrebin, [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/rocco-landesman-confirmed-as-chairman-of-the-national-endowment-for-the-arts/ "Rocco Landesman Confirmed as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts"], ''[[New York Times]]'', August 7, 2009.</ref>
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{{Academy Honorary Award}}
{{Academy Honorary Award}}
{{Special Tony Award}}
{{Special Tony Award}}
{{Lyndon B. Johnson}}
 
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


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