The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) has served each administration since 1982, advancing the White House’s arts and humanities objectives by working directly with the three primary cultural agencies—the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—to initiate and support key programs; to recognize excellence in the fields of arts and humanities; and to encourage private-public partnerships around those disciplines.
The First Lady is the Honorary Chairman of the PCAH. Through her leadership, along with the Committee’s federal and private members, the PCAH has compiled an impressive legacy during its tenure, including initiating the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal; catalyzing such signature cultural programs as Save America's Treasures, the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards, and Film Forward; and leading groundbreaking international cultural delegations to China and Mexico, among other countries. Such achievements rely on the unique role of the President’s Committee to work with federal cultural agencies—as well as with civic, corporate, foundation, and private funders—to further the nation’s investment in its cultural life. As the President of the United States recognizes that a nation’s cultural assets contribute to the vibrancy of its society and the strength of its democracy, the PCAH helps to underscore the civic, social, educational, and historical value of arts and humanities in the life of our nation.
