The National Endowment for the Arts announced today that Chairman Rocco Landesman is stepping down at the end of the calendar year. According to the NEA press release, Landesman said that it was always his intention to only serve one term as chairman.
"The time has come for me to become a cliché: I turned 65, am going to retire, and cannot wait to spend more time in Miami Beach," said Landesman.
The independent federal agency has been offering support and funding for artists and organizations since 1965 when it was founded. There have been many attempts and attacks calling for the abolition of the organization throughout the years. As early as this Fall, the agency was a focus of presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s agenda who said the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities would "...have to stand on their own..."
To read the full press release, click here.
Thumbnail photo of Rocco Landesman by Michael Eastman.
