From the Chairman

The National Endowment for the Arts 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. For nearly four decades, the Arts Endowment has encouraged creativity through support of performances, exhibitions, festivals, artist residencies, and educational programs throughout the country.

The National Endowment for the Arts is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts. In FY 2003, the Arts Endowment awarded nearly 2,000 grants totaling more than $100 million to arts organizations and artists in all 50 states and the six U.S. jurisdictions. The Arts Endowment has played a transformative and sustaining role in the development of regional theater, opera, dance, orchestras, museums, and other arts - both contemporary and traditional - that Americans now enjoy.

The Arts on Radio and Television category makes the arts widely available to the American public through nationally distributed radio and television programs. Our grants support the development, production, and distribution of arts programs that collectively reach millions of people across the country. From new film documentaries to popular radio series, these programs enrich lives by bringing the best of the arts into American homes. The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support programs of artistic excellence in this field.

The National Endowment for the Arts pledges to provide accurate, timely, and clear information about our policies and procedures. We will also strive to respond to inquiries in a courteous and efficient manner. By supporting exceptional programs, the Arts Endowment helps to ensure that America is a nation in which artistic excellence is celebrated, supported, and available to all.

Dana Gioia
Chairman

National Endowment for the Arts
webmgr@arts.endow.gov