New Chair Nominated for the NEA
On Feburary 13, 2014 President Obama named his choice to lead the National Endowment for the Arts, which has been without a chairman for more than a year.
The president announced his intent to nominate Jane Chu, currently the president CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City who also boasts a strong business background. In a statement, President Obama said, “Jane’s lifelong passion for the arts and her background in philanthropy have made her a powerful advocate for artists and arts education in Kansas City. She knows firsthand how art can open minds, transform lives and revitalize communities, and believes deeply in the importance of the arts to our national culture. I’m proud to nominate her as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.”
The NEA has been without a chairman since Rocco Landesman left in November 2012. Last year, the agency was under attack by House appropriators as they sought to cut funding by 49 percent – an effort that was unsuccessful. Dr. Chu’s nomination will now be sent to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for consideration, and then if she is approved by the committee, the full U.S. Senate for a confirmation vote.