National Council on the Arts Meeting Friday, October 28, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. EDT

Meeting to be webcast live at arts.gov

October 24, 2011

		Contact: NEA Public Affairs 202.682.5570

Washington, DC -- The National Council on the Arts, the advisory body for the National Endowment for the Arts, convenes in public session on Friday, October 28, 2011 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. EDT in room M-09 of The Nancy Hanks Center, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. The meeting features three presentations in addition to the business of the council. The event is free and open to the public to attend in person or to watch live via webcast at arts.gov. Join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #NCAmeeting.

The session will open with the swearing in to the National Council on the Arts of President Obama's first nominee, violinist and arts educator, Aaron Dworkin. A recipient of a 2005 MacArthur Genius Award, Dworkin is the founder and president of the Sphinx Organization, a leading national arts organization focusing on youth development and diversity in classical music.

In recognition of the upcoming NEA Opera Honors award ceremony on October 27, 2011, the meeting will continue with a panel discussion on opera featuring 2011 honoree, Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera along with Beth Morrison of the multi-media, opera-based Beth Morrison Projects and Marc Scorca, president of OPERA America.

The third presentation highlights research published by the NEA Office of Research & Analysis. NEA Research Analyst, Bonnie Nichols will discuss the agency's latest research note Artists and Arts Workers in the United States that offers first-ever analysis on artists and industries, state and metro employment rates, and new demographic information on age, education levels, income, ethnicity, and other social characteristics.

This will be followed by a conversation about arts festivals, the topic of an October 2010 NEA research report Live from Your Neighborhood: A National Study of Outdoor Arts Festivals. Guest speakers are FloydFest producer, Kris Hodges and director, Erika Johnson. FloydFest, which takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Floyd, Virginia, is wrapping up its 10th year of community, creativity, and celebration of roots music.

Please note that the application and guidelines review and voting will take place at the public meeting on Friday.

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 14 members -- James Ballinger, Miguel Campaneria, Ben Donenberg, JoAnn Falletta, Lee Greenwood, Joan Israelite, Charlotte Kessler, Bret Lott, Irvin Mayfield, Stephen Porter, Barbara Ernst Prey, Frank Price, Terry Teachout, and Karen Wolff; and six ex-officio members from Congress -- Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Congressman Patrick J. Tiberi (R-OH). Appointment by Majority and Minority leadership of the remaining Members of Congress to the Council is pending. More information about the National Council on the Arts and its members can be found at arts.gov.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at www.arts.gov.

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