First launched by Americans for the Arts more than 30 years ago as National Arts Week in honor of the National Endowment for the Arts, National Arts and Humanities Month was re-established in 1993 as a month-long celebration in October with the following four goals:
- To create a national, state and local focus on the arts and humanities through the media,
- To encourage the participation of individuals, as well as arts, humanities and other organizations nationwide,
- To provide an opportunity for federal, state and local business, government and civic leaders to declare their support for the arts and humanities,
- To establish a highly visible vehicle for raising public awareness about the arts and humanities.
In recognition of National Arts & Humanities Month, America’s Charities is celebrating the following agents of change who we are proud to call our members. These nonprofits’ programs inspire, educate, entertain, and enlighten youth, veterans, and individuals of all ages in local communities throughout the country.
One of the most cost-efficient ways you can support these nonprofits is to donate to them via payroll deduction through your employer’s workplace giving program (Don’t have a program? Click here to have your employer contact our team.) Click on each charity’s name below to learn more about their work, and to make a donation now!
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Founded in 1974 in Washington, D.C., the Duke Ellington School of the Arts’ mission is to nurture and inspire passion for arts and learning in talented students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to develop their artistic skills. They ensure that students are prepared for post-secondary education and/or careers in the arts by offering an intensive arts-based program. They prepare students to become productive citizens in our global society through a strong focus on academics and community service. Learn more.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer and Managing Director Maggie Boland, Signature produces contemporary musicals and plays, reinvents classic musicals, develops new work and provides meaningful education and outreach programs for the community. The Theatre is the premiere venue for musical theater in the Washington region and is known for producing large-scale musicals in its intimate spaces and for its premieres of new work, especially new musicals. Learn more.
WETA (Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association)
WETA Television/Classical WETA FM public broadcasting serves Greater Washington. Productions include PBS NewsHour, Washington Week and documentaries by Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. WETA’s mission is to produce and distribute content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit using a broad range of media to reach audiences both in our community and nationwide. WETA leverages its collective resources to extend our impact. WETA will be true to its values; and respects diversity of views, culture, and heritage. Learn more.