[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 80361-80362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22985]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 192 / Thursday, October 3, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 80361]]

                Proclamation 10821 of September 30, 2024

                
National Arts and Humanities Month, 2024

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The arts and humanities bring people together and show 
                us that we have more in common than we have 
                differences--helping us see each other, understand one 
                another, and unite in common cause. Our artists and 
                scholars embody the very spirit of America: the drive 
                to create and connect, the pursuit of excellence, and 
                the boldness to be truthtellers and change seekers. 
                During National Arts and Humanities Month, we celebrate 
                the artists and scholars who lift us up, speak to our 
                souls, and shape who we are as a Nation.

                We are a great Nation, largely because of the power of 
                the arts and humanities, which is stamped into the DNA 
                of America. My Administration is committed to 
                continuing the longstanding tradition of supporting the 
                arts and humanities--including promoting freedom of 
                expression as a part of a healthy democracy--and has 
                worked to ensure people across the Nation have access 
                to the connection and economic opportunities they 
                provide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when local 
                venues like theaters and concert halls were struggling 
                to stay open, we offered a lifeline of over $1 billion 
                in funding. In 2022, I also signed an Executive Order 
                to advance the cultural vitality of our country and 
                ensure that access to the arts and humanities is within 
                reach of every American. That included re-establishing 
                the President's Committee on the Arts and the 
                Humanities (PCAH) and appointing the First Lady as an 
                honorary chair and Lady Gaga and Bruce Cohen as co-
                chairs. The Institute of Museum and Library Services 
                (IMLS) recently celebrated the 10 recipients of the 
                2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, our 
                Nation's highest honor given to museums and libraries 
                that demonstrate excellence in service to their 
                communities. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) 
                also launched ArtsHere, a $10 million grant pilot 
                program expected to announce nearly 100 awards for 
                projects by local arts organizations working in 
                underserved communities. And this year, the NEA--
                alongside policy experts at the White House, the Second 
                Gentleman, and more--convened artists to demonstrate 
                how the arts and humanities are critical infrastructure 
                to our own well-being and the health of our democracy.

                I believe deeply in the power of the arts and 
                humanities to tell the story of our Nation and help 
                guide our path toward a better Union. That is why the 
                First Lady and I have hosted countless events that 
                brought artists and performers here to the White 
                House--from movie screenings and poetry readings to 
                musical performances and a Juneteenth concert on the 
                South Lawn. We have also honored a number of incredible 
                artists and scholars by awarding the National 
                Humanities Medals and National Medals of Arts and by 
                hosting the Kennedy Center Honorees at the White House. 
                These events and honors are a reminder of the value the 
                arts and humanities bring to our lives and our Nation.

                Our Administration is working with artists and scholars 
                to ensure that hate has no safe harbor in America. As a 
                part of our United We Stand Summit, the National 
                Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) launched a joint 
                initiative with the NEA called Connecting Through 
                Culture to leverage

[[Page 80362]]

                the arts and humanities against hate-motivated 
                violence, promote civic engagement, and encourage 
                cross-cultural understanding. Building on the work of 
                United We Stand, the PCAH, NEH, NEA, and IMLS also 
                launched the Artists for Understanding initiative to 
                bring together a diverse community of artists and 
                humanitarians in the fight against hate. And the NEH 
                has worked to support humanities and research programs 
                that capture the good, bad, and truth of our Nation. 
                From helping to document the oral histories of 
                survivors and descendants of the Federal Indian 
                Boarding School era to investing in programs that help 
                protect and preserve America's Black history through 
                Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 
                supporting cultural institutions in the Pacific 
                Islands, we show our commitment to understanding and 
                learning from our past so that we can work together to 
                build a better future.

                Our Nation's artists, librarians, scholars, and museum 
                professionals make us feel our humanity, reminding us 
                of all that is possible when we come together. This 
                month, may we celebrate American artists and scholars, 
                who will always hold a special place in the soul of our 
                Nation. And may we recommit to supporting the arts and 
                humanities, which make us a stronger and more 
                prosperous Nation.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2024 
                as National Arts and Humanities Month. I call on the 
                people of the United States to observe this month with 
                appropriate programs, ceremonies, and celebrations.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                ninth.
                <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2024-22985
Filed 10-2-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P