OUR MISSION

The U.S. Department of Arts and Culture contributes to the strength and vibrancy of the movement for collective liberation by resourcing and mobilizing cultural organizers and artists. 

As a people-led and people-centered arts and culture department, we merge organizing, political education, and performance to create a vibrant ecosystem that activates and harnesses spaces ripe for social, cultural and political change.

CENTERING ARTISTS IN OUR MOVEMENTS

We believe that artists and cultural organizers play a critical role in the movement for liberatory change. It is our belief that the movement for liberatory change will be more potent, powerful, and joyful when artists and cultural organizers are connected to and working in deep collaboration with movement organizations of all sizes and issue areas. We believe that by investing in artists and cultural organizers, we are contributing to a strong and vibrant movement ecosystem.

STRATEGY AREAS

Our programs bridge the gaps between cultural organizers, artists, and social change movements through the following four strategies: 

• Political Education for Artists and Cultural Organizers:

We support and sustain a vibrant movement for liberatory change by investing in the leadership development and training of artist-activists and cultural workers. 

• Network Weaving:

We connect artists and cultural organizers to each other, and to movement organizations. Our programs create clear pathways for cultural organizers to connect, convene, and collaborate with each other and with movement organizations.

• Policy Shift:

We aim to shift the material conditions that artists and cultural organizers are currently working within by using policy as a tool. We do this by advocating for policy changes that improve and expand access and resources for cultural organizers.

• Play & Performance:

In the absence of a "real" federal department of Arts and Culture, we are “performing” the state, supporting the communities and work we'd want to see that agency support. We catalyze possibilities for new worlds, new systems, and new rituals through this play and performance.