Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will host the public session of the 196th National Council on the Arts meeting on Thursday, March 28, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Capitol Hill at the Russell Senate Office Building, Room SR-485. The National Council on the Arts members are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. Members advise the NEA Chairman on agency policies and programs and review and make recommendations on applications for grants, funding guidelines, and leadership initiatives. This meeting is open to the press and the public to attend and will stream live at arts.gov. This meeting will include a presentation by Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter on the importance and impact of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as remarks by members of Congress. Janice Jennings with Joye in Aiken, an NEA grant recipient for their Performing Arts Festival, will speak on her organization’s work to increase access to the arts in Aiken, South Carolina, and the surrounding community. Representatives from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs will conclude the meeting with a preview of the upcoming visit of the National Council on the Arts to Detroit, Michigan, for the June meeting. Guests should use the entrance to the Russell building located at 1st and Constitution NE and plan to arrive prior to 10:00 a.m. to allow time for security screening. WHAT: 196th meeting of the National Council on the Arts WHEN: Thursday, March 28, 2019, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EDT WHERE: Capitol Hill at the Russell Senate Office Building, Room SR-485, 2 Constitution Ave NE, Washington, DC. Live webcast at arts.gov. WHO:

• Mary Anne Carter, Acting Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts
• Members of Congress
• Janice Jennings, Executive Director, Joye in Aiken
• W. Omari Rush, Chair, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
• Alison Watson, Director, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs

MEDIA RSVP: Media who wish to attend this event should contact the NEA’s Public Affairs Office at 202-682-5570 or publicaffairs@arts.gov. About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more.