Walker’s role on NEA review panel impacts cultural arts across America
For Immediate Release January 25, 2006
(DES MOINES, Iowa) – Anita Walker, the director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and executive director of the Iowa Arts Council, is in Washington, D.C. this week serving on a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) panel that is reviewing how one-third of the country’s state arts agencies (SAA) plan to serve their constituents during the next three years.
“Every state arts agency in the country has a three-year partnership agreement with the NEA, which means one-third of the state’s arts agencies are submitting new partnership applications every year,” Walker said. “This panel is reviewing this year’s applications, assessing how each will serve the needs of their constituents and providing suggestions and feedback on their strategic plans, with special attention to arts education and the needs of those who are underserved.”
With 40 percent of NEA funds distributed by SAAs, the review process is a critical step for strengthening cultural arts throughout the country.
Most of the 50 state and six jurisdictional arts agencies were created in response to the national example and financial incentive provided by the NEA. For 40 years, the NEA support for SAAs has helped to attract state funding that for most agencies now far exceeds the federal support. State government support is vital to the arts in America.
As recipients of funding from NEA, SAAs are responsible for meeting standards of accountability that call for inclusive planning, responsive plans, performance evaluation, fair decision-making, leadership in learning in the arts, access to artistic excellence, partnerships for the arts and reporting on funded activities, in accordance with the National Standard for Arts Information Exchange.
As the partner agencies of NEA, SAA’s greatly extend NEA’s reach and impact, translating national leadership into local benefit. As they carry out their state plans, they work cooperatively with NEA to carry out a national plan with common goals. The SAAs and NEA consult regularly on how they can best work together in addressing these goals.
IAC is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life and learning in Iowa communities by encouraging excellence in the arts through leadership, grants and technical assistance. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the State of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts. More information about IAC is available at www.iowaartscouncil.org.
NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both
new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership
in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of
the federal government, the Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of
the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities,
and military bases. More information about NEA is available at www.arts.gov.
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