Sarah Jessica Parker, Thom Mayne, Anna Wintour named to Obama’s arts committee
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
If eclecticism was the goal for Barack Obama in choosing members for the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, then he has succeeded hands down, judging from today’s announcement of 25 appointees.
Ranging from Hollywood actors to veteran cultural leaders, the committee members represent a wide spectrum of American culture and entertainment.
Among the most famous names on the list are actors Sarah Jessica Parker, Edward Norton, Forest Whitaker and Alfre Woodard, ‘Vogue’ editor Anna Wintour, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, theater director George C. Wolfe and architect Thom Mayne.
Established in 1982, the committee’s mission is to work with organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities to encourage partnerships between the public and private sector on cultural projects. The committee also seeks to initiate and support cultural programs, according to its official website.
In September, Obama named three people to lead the committee: television producer George Stevens Jr., theater producer Margo Lion and New York University’s Mary Schmidt Campbell.
Other new appointees to the committee who have Southern California ties include Bryan Lourd, managing director of Creative Artists Agency; Andy Spahn, an entertainment industry consultant; and Christine Forester, a former architect who runs her own marketing company.
-- David Ng
Related stories
Obama makes key appointments to Committee on Arts and Humanities
