National Endowment for the Arts Leaders Visit Philadelphia October 28-29, 2027

Philadelphia, PA-Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts Mary Anne Carter and members of the National Council on the Arts (NCA) will gather in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 28-29, 2026, for their next meeting. Through site visits and a public meeting, the council will explore Arts Endowment-supported projects honoring America's 250th anniversary happening throughout the city and state. The agency has supported more than 1,600 projects celebrating this milestone across the country, including more than 50 in Pennsylvania.

"Through our initiatives and grantmaking, the National Endowment for the Arts has helped make arts and culture central to America's 250th anniversary celebrations," said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. "As we wind down this historic year, there is no more fitting place to be than Philadelphia, where our founding fathers laid the groundwork for a new nation 250 years ago. This visit celebrates the vital role of the arts in preserving our history, telling America's story, and inspiring the next chapter of our nation's journey."

"I've always believed that the arts have a way of bringing people together and allowing us to see our shared humanity. As Pennsylvania's Governor, I'm proud to support the artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions that make our Commonwealth so special," said Governor Josh Shapiro. "On America's 250th anniversary, there is no better place to welcome the National Council on the Arts than Pennsylvania-the birthplace of our democracy and where the story of our nation began, fueled by new ideas and the same spirit that still courses through our Commonwealth today."

Prior to the National Council on the Arts Public Meeting on October 29, the Arts Endowment will also host a grants workshop with Creative Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Creative Industries, and Mid Atlantic Arts for potential applicants to learn more about federal, regional, and state opportunities. Both events are open to the public; visit the NEA's Events webpage for more information or see below.

Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Creative Philadelphia collaborated with the National Endowment for the Arts on this visit to Pennsylvania. In the last five years, the Arts Endowment distributed more than $26.5 million in federal funds to organizations in Pennsylvania, either through direct grants or state and regional partners. To date in fiscal year 2026, 82 organizations in Pennsylvania have been awarded Arts Endowment grants, including BalletX, COSACOSA, Farm Arts Collective, Pittsburgh Symphony, ReadingFilmFEST, and the Westmoreland Museum of Art.

Learn more about how the National Endowment for the Arts is celebrating the nation's 250th birthday on our website.

The following are closed to the public but open to media, except where noted. National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter and Pennsylvania Creative Industries Executive Director Karl Blischke are available for interviews. Media interested in attending any of the following events or requesting an interview should contact [email protected].

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

2:00-3:15 p.m.-Site visit to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). PAFA received a $45,000 Arts Endowment grant in FY 2026 to support a printmaking and papermaking residency program that explored American identity.

The Council will visit the Brodsky Center printmaking facilities and tour A Nation of Artists, a PAFA exhibit celebrating American art.

Location: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

4:00-5:00 p.m.-Site visit to The Clay Studio: Center for Innovation in Ceramic Art. The Clay Studio received a $20,000 Arts Endowment grant in FY 2026 to support an exhibition of Philadelphia-based artist Roberto Lugo's work focused on American culture.

The Clay Studio is also the recipient of grants from the Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program, part of the Arts Endowment's Creative Forces initiative. Along with Philadelphia Veterans' Affairs, The Clay Studio operates Operation Mud, a ceramics program for veterans in Philadelphia that uses art to reduce stress, promote self-expression, and build a sense of community.

The Council will tour The Clay Studio and meet with Lugo about his exhibition and Bradford Davis, retired U.S. Army Captain and Clay Studio resident artist, about Operation Mud.

Location: Clay Studio, 1425 N American St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Thursday, October 29, 2026

9:30-10:30 a.m.-Grants Workshop. This workshop is for potential grant applicants; RSVP to reserve a sea t.

Potential applicants can learn more about the National Endowment for the Arts' grant opportunities and the process for applying for federal grants to support art projects. Staff from Creative Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Creative Industries, and Mid Atlantic Arts will also join to share information on additional grant opportunities to support artists and arts organizations.

Location: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Hamilton Garden, 300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 1

1:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.-Public Meeting of the National Council on the Arts. This meeting is open to the public;RSVP to reserve a seat. The meeting will also be available through a live webcast at arts.gov.

In addition to remarks by Chairman Carter on ways the National Endowment for the Arts has marked the 250th anniversary, this meeting will include a presentation and educational performance of "Our Jazz Story" from the Keystone Jazz Septet, directed by drummer Marko Marcinko. With America 250 support from Pennsylvania Creative Industries and the National Endowment for the Arts, Keystone Jazz Orchestra is planning a five-city tour this fall celebrating Pennsylvania's jazz legacy, with performances and immersive historical storytelling.

The meeting will also feature a conversation with the directors of two National Endowment for the Arts-supported Research Labs studying how the arts can be used to improve care for children with chronic illnesses. Drexel University's Girija Kaimal will describe her lab's research on the effects of creative arts therapies in pediatric cancer care settings. She will also conduct a demonstration for the National Council on the Arts, using a drawing exercise for patients. Nicole Robinson from Akron Children's Hospital will discuss how narrative medicine is improving the patient care experience, and she will share her lab's plans to explore health outcomes for children, young adults, families, and health professionals who engage with literary arts.

Location: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

About the National Council on the Arts

The National Council on the Arts advises the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Mary Anne Carter, who also chairs the Council, on agency policies and programs, and reviews and makes recommendations to the chair on applications for grants, funding guidelines, and leadership initiatives.