Happy Birthday, NEA!

50 years ago this week, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, which created the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. These two independent federal agencies fund, promote, educate, and encourage communities to provide creative opportunities for projects and people devoted to our nation’s arts and humanities.

To celebrate its 50^th birthday, the NEA invited artists throughout the country to share how their lives have been enriched by art. The interactive map United States of Arts shares those stories. I’m pleased to represent Delaware with Senator Chris Coons. Click on Delaware’s little icon (you can find it a little to the right of DC’s star) to see his video and read my story, or go directly to my page.

The NEA is the largest annual national funder of the arts in the country, and its support is granted to individual artists as well as through partnerships with states, arts agencies, and public and private organizations. The NEA’s grants promote dance, translation, visual arts, literature, music, opera, theatre, and media arts. Special initiatives include Poetry Out Loud and Blue Star Museums.

After I submitted my arts story for consideration, the NEA created the cool poster below using my opening quote. It was shared on social media, and I am sharing it here. I am honored and thrilled to appear on the United States of Arts map and to have a public opportunity to thank the NEA and the agencies it support for their encouragement and help. It is most appreciated.