The head of the National Endowment for the Arts has wrapped a visit to Iowa’s capital city. It marked Jane Chu’s first trip to Iowa as N-E-A chairman. She’s held the post since June of last year. Chu took part in an town hall style meeting hosted by the Iowa Arts Council and discussed the NEA’s new initiative, Creativity Connects.
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While she was in Des Moines, Chu visited the headquarters of ArtForceIowa, which works with at-risk and underprivileged youth. She praised the organization and said she was also impressed with the city’s appreciation for pieces of art created many decades or centuries ago.
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Chu is the eleventh chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA has awarded nearly $220 million in grants during her tenure.