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[Letterhead is watermarked with The Great Seal of The United States 1985]

[Left side of letterhead: The Great Seal of The United States]

[Right side of letterhead:
United States Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520 ]

FACT SHEET

ART IN EMBASSIES PROGRAM, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Art is a powerful form of international currency--it promotes under-
standing among people of diverse cultural backgrounds. George Bernard
Shaw once said, "Next to torture, art is the greatest persuader." The
people of the United States, beneficiaries of burgeoning growth in the
arts, have a great opportunity to share the humane fruits of their
success with world leaders, artists, and advocates around the globe
through the Art in Embassies Program.

The Department of State inaugurated the program in January of 1964. The
Congressional Record in 1965 first described the Art in Embassies
Program as follows: "This is a worldwide program to place original art
of our country in U.S. Embassies. Art transcending all periods will be
selected throughout the United States. This will include paintings in
all media, sculpture, carvings, graphics, ceramics, mosaics, and wall
hangings."

The Program is based on cooperation between the government and the
private sector. Museums, corporate and private collectors, commercial
galleries, and artists donate or lend American art works representing
all styles, periods, and media to the Program.

Interested donors or lenders who wish to participate in the program
should contact the Director and arrange to show the works available.
If it is impractical to arrange direct viewing, slides or photographs of
each work of art available should be sent with descriptive information
including title, dimensions, medium, and artist's name and biographical
data. Generally, the minimum period for items to be loaned is two
years. Donor's gifts are tax deductible as provided by the IRS code.

Donors, lenders, and artists are afforded international recognition
through the publication of a brochure printed by the embassy in con-
junction with each exhibition. Usually the brochure contains a photo-
graph of each work, a brief biographical sketch of the artist, and
recognition of the donor or lender. The embassy also seeks media and
press coverage in the host country.