Washington, DC--The tri-annual public meeting of the National Council on the Arts takes place on Friday, October 30, 2015, and will be live webcast at arts.gov from 9:00 to 11:30 am EDT. The meeting includes agency business as well as guest presentations. An archived version of the Friday webcast will be available at arts.gov. The scheduled presentations are: 9:30-10:00 am          Presentation on the Beginning of the National Endowment for the Arts and the                                   Founding of the American Film Institute

George Stevens, Jr. President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities co-chair & founding director of the American Film Institute

10:00-10:30 am         Presentation on 50^th Anniversary Web Resources

 Jessamyn Sarmiento, director of public affairs

10:30-11:15 am          Presentation on the History and Impact of NEA Funding

 Robert Falls, artistic director, Goodman Theatre

 Bennett Rink, executive director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

 DJ Kurs, artistic director, Deaf West Theatre

About the National Council on the Arts The National Council on the Arts is convened three times per year to vote on funding recommendations for grants and rejections; to advise the chairman on application guidelines, the budget, and policy and planning directions; and to recommend to the President nominees for the National Medal of Arts. Including the chairman, there are 17 members: Bruce Carter, Aaron Dworkin, Lee Greenwood, Deepa Gupta, Paul Hodes, Joan Israelite, Maria Rosario Jackson, Emil J. Kang, Charlotte Kessler, María López De León, Rick Lowe, David "Mas" Masumoto, Irvin Mayfield, Barbara Ernst Prey, Ranee Ramaswamy, and Olga Viso. There are also six ex-officio members from Congress: Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and and U.S. Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Patrick J. Tiberi (R-OH). Appointment by majority and minority leadership of the remaining three Members of Congress to the Council is pending. Visit arts.gov for more information about the National Council on the Arts and its members.