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President’s Committee
on the Arts and the Humanities

Dancer
Courtesy of Amistad Research Center in Louisiana
Artwork
Courtesy of Thomas Cole National Historic Site in New York
Performance
Courtesy of The Silk Road Ensemble/ Turnaround Arts
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About Us

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) was established by White House Executive Order as an advisory body to the President on cultural policy. The committee is comprised of leading artists, scholars, museum and library practitioners, and philanthropists. The PCAH provides recommendations to the President and the heads of the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services to advance wide-ranging policy objectives in the arts and humanities. As part of its mandate, the PCAH will consider how the arts and humanities sectors can positively impact community well-being, economic development, public health, education, civic engagement, and climate change across the United States.  

PCAH is provided with funding and administrative support by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. The Institute advances, supports, and empowers America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. For more information about IMLS, please visit imls.gov. As the supporting federal agency, certain IMLS policies will also apply to PCAH such as the agency’s Privacy Program (link), Freedom of Information Act guidance (link), Open Government Plan (link), and No FEAR Act Notice (link). 

Policies specific to pcah.gov may be found here

The White House Executive Order

"Art in all of its forms is the evidence and expression of our humanity. Music and dance, paintings and performances, creations and cultures, reveal who we are. The arts and humanities heal and nourish us reflecting our love and longings, fears and fantasies, wisdom and truth. They teach us. They connect us to our history, to each other, and to the world we are building."

Dr. Jill Biden
First Lady of the United States

Interactive Calming Marble Wall Panel

Courtesy of Dakota County Library
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Meet the Executive Director

Tsione Wolde-Michael

“The arts, humanities, museums, and libraries are essential to our nation’s innovation, well-being, and vitality. The PCAH supports the arts and humanities as vehicles for positive social change. It touches diverse communities across the country and works to strengthen our collective resilience, enhance our creativity, and support our democracy.”

Read bio here