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

112. Memorandum From the Chief of the Program Coordination Staff, Office of Policy and Plans, United States Information Agency (Joyce) to the Deputy Director for Policy and Plans (White)¹

Washington, October 7, 1970

Meeting of the International Cultural Planning Task Force

Representatives of the Task Force, USIA, Smithsonian, National Endowment, Museum of Modern Art, CU, and George Washington University met at Carol Harford’s request on October 6, to discuss the role of the U.S. in international art festivals.

1. It was agreed that there should be a U.S. presence at such exhibitions, even though this implies no commitment to U.S. participation in every international show.

2. It was agreed that by participation in such shows the U.S. attempts to reach and influence elites in the artistic and intellectual realms and sometimes to satisfy needs that are not esthetic but political.

3. It was agreed that greater efforts ought to be made to seek private sources of support for U.S. cultural presentations overseas. It was further agreed that the effort to secure private financing should be coordinated so that CU, USIA and IAP are not all simultaneously trying to pluck the same goose.

4. It was agreed also that traveling art shows overseas frequently have more impact and value for the U.S. than does participation in the great well-known international shows.

I explained to this group, as I last week explained to the Smithsonian people, that USIA believes that the U.S. government should maintain an international presence in the world of art and that USIA also believes that traveling shows are exceedingly useful. I promised to discuss further with the geographical areas possibilities for USIS offered by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (which I described to you on Monday).² I observed that, although the Traveling Service presents an attractive opportunity, the fact that it will cost money is an obstacle to USIA, since USIA does not wish to present to the Appropriations Committee a budget item related to international art shows. USIA would have no objection to the concept of the Traveling Service if the Smithsonian or some other institution would foot the bill.

Carol Harford will write a report of the meeting.³ The participants will have an opportunity to make comments on it as well as further suggestions before the report goes to the International Cultural Committee.⁴

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. Drafted by Joyce. Printed from an uninitialed copy.
2. October 5. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) was established in 1951 with Annemarie Pope named as the first SITES Director.
3. Not found.
4. Presumable reference to the Task Force Report of Recommendations on U.S. Representation in the Arts Abroad; see Document 115.