National Endowment for The Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts is the nation's largest and most important arts organization. While a major source of money for arts groups around the country, it has historically been something of a sleepy bureaucracy, still best known to some for the culture wars of the 1990s.
Rocco Landesman, the colorful theatrical producer and race-track aficionado who brought hits like ''Big River,'' ''Angels in America'' and ''The Producers'' to Broadway, has been nominated as the next chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, the White House said on May 12, 2009.
Since the 1990s the agency has been trying to rebuild its image on Capitol Hill, along with its budget. The current allocation stands at $145 million, and though President Obama has requested $161 million for 2010, that is still short of its high of $176 million in 1992.
Mr. Landesman, who would fill the post vacated by Dana Gioia, is expected to lobby hard for more arts money. But he is not famous for his skills as an administrator or diplomat. Rather, he is known for his energy, intellect and irreverent -- and occasionally sharp-elbowed -- candor.




National Endowment for The Arts News - The New York Times