Cultural groups in global alliance

The State Department has enlisted four national cultural organizations to broaden exchanges between American artists and foreign audiences and share the country’s arts management expertise.

Global Cultural Initiative, an effort to coordinate and expand many of the activities underway in cultural diplomacy, was announced this week by First Lady Laura Bush.

The primary partners in the new program are the Kennedy Center in Washington, the American Film Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Also participating are the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.