Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VIII, Public Diplomacy, 1969–1972

111. Memorandum From the Director, Office of Cultural Presentation, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (Lewis) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs (Richardson)¹

Washington, October 5, 1970

SUBJECT

• The Office of the President and the Arts

REF

• Mr. Garment’s Request for Ideas²

The following suggestions for encouraging and giving more prestige to the arts are submitted for the Office of the President, present and future, recognizing that other national priorities may require the expenditures listed below. However, the psychological steps cited below will cost nothing or very little and may contribute toward a more peaceful climate in America.³

A. Encouraging the Arts in America:

1. Incorporation of a Status of Arts section in annual State of the Union messages.⁴

2. Establishment of an annual televised interview with the President, the Chairman of the National Council on the Arts and the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs being interviewed by leading media specialists on the arts.⁵

3. A budget of $100 million for the National Council on the Arts and Endowment for the Arts, announced by the President.

4. Honor America’s poets, artists, writers, sculptors, conductors, dancers, etc., by Presidential Proclamation or “A Day.” Example: Presidential dedication of Walt Whitman Park, 19th and “E” Streets, Washington, with a statue of Whitman.

5. Presidential attendance (or a representative of the President) at selected dedication ceremonies marking the opening of cultural centers, theatres, auditoriums, e.g., Catholic University auditorium.

6. White House awards to the winners of national contests in the arts now conducted by the nation’s high schools and universities, e.g., national collegiate jazz contest.

7. Bicentennial Anniversary: Assure that a large portion of the celebrations emphasize America’s cultural-artistic heritage by having American performing artists perform.⁶

B. International Communication through the Arts:

1. Using Points A1 and A2 above, place Presidential emphasis on the need for an expanded program for sending American performing arts abroad.

2. A Presidential invitation to the heads of America’s major companies with international investments to attend a White House meeting for the purpose of planning public-private partnership to implement Point B1 and to implement the programming of foreign grantees in the United States under the Educational Exchange Program.⁷

3. On a selective basis, White House announcement of American performing arts tours going abroad under Government sponsorship. (Such as to USSR, Eastern Europe, Middle East.)

4. Inclusion of the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs at White House dinners for foreign visitors.

5. More White House functions like the one for Duke Ellington, with USIA film coverage and network TV permitted.⁸

6. Reports of effective, successful U.S. performing arts tours abroad should be available to the President so that he may, as appropriate, refer to them in conversations with members of Congress, with media, with visiting foreign leaders.

7. Under White House sponsorship, bring to Washington on return from tours abroad highly-successful American performing arts groups or artists for an invitational performance here, with the President in attendance to provide brief welcoming remarks, with appropriate media coverage.⁹

8. On Presidential trips abroad, include in local programs a visit by the President to that country’s outstanding cultural-artistic accomplishment.

9. An annual U.S. television program, sponsored by the private sector (See B2), featuring all the American cultural attractions that have toured abroad for the United States that year.¹⁰

Mark B. Lewis

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Policy and Plans, IOP/C Cultural Subject Files, 1955–1971, Entry UD–90, Box 1, CUL 3 International Cultural Strategy Group. No classification marking. Lewis wrote “Mr. Loomis” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum. Lewis sent the memorandum to Loomis under an October 12 handwritten note, in which he stated: “In view of your membership in the International Cultural Strategy Group, the attached is FYI for it suggests psychological steps & mentions USIA.” (Ibid.)
2. There is no indication as to when and in what form Garment made this request.
3. Lewis underlined “psychological steps.”
4. Lewis placed two vertical parallel lines in the right-hand margin next to this point.
5. Lewis placed two vertical parallel lines in the right-hand margin next to this point.
6. Lewis placed two vertical parallel lines in the right-hand margin next to this point.
7. Lewis placed two vertical parallel lines in the right-hand margin next to this point.
8. Lewis underlined “with USIA film coverage.” Presumable reference to the April 29, 1969, White House dinner honoring Ellington, who also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. For the text of the President’s toast at the dinner and the President’s and Ellington’s remarks during the medal presentation, see Public Papers: Nixon, 1969, pp. 338–339.
9. Possible venues: Kennedy Center, Smithsonian, Department of State, Catholic University auditorium, a recommended new building for the National Council on the Arts, including auditorium. [Footnote is in the original.]
10. Lewis placed two vertical parallel lines in the right-hand margin next to this point.