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Title 20, EducationRelease 119-110

§953 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities

Title 20 › CHAPTER 26 — SUPPORT AND SCHOLARSHIP IN HUMANITIES AND ARTS; MUSEUM SERVICES › SUBCHAPTER I — NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES › § 953

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities made of four parts: two national endowments, a Federal Council, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It promotes a national policy supporting arts, humanities, and institutions preserving U.S. cultural heritage, and federal officials cannot control policies, staff, curriculum, or operations of any non‑federal school or organization under this law.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §953

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment; composition
There is established a National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”), which shall be composed of a National Endowment for the Arts, a National Endowment for the Humanities, a Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities, and an Institute of Museum and Library Services.
(b)Purpose
The purpose of the Foundation shall be to develop and promote a broadly conceived national policy of support for the humanities and the arts in the United States, and for institutions which preserve the cultural heritage of the United States pursuant to this subchapter.
(c)Prohibition against Federal supervision over policy determination, personnel, or curriculum, or administration or operation of any school or other non-Federal body
In the administration of this subchapter no department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States shall exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the policy determination, personnel, or curriculum, or the administration or operation of any school or other non-Federal agency, institution, organization, or association.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–340 substituted “Institute of Museum and Library Services” for “Institute of Museum Services”. 1985—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–194, § 104, struck out a second comma after “a National Endowment for the Humanities” and “(hereinafter established)” after “Institute of Museum Services”. 1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–306, § 4(a), substituted “, a Federal Council” for “and a Federal Council” and inserted “, and an Institute of Museum Services”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–306, § 4(b), inserted “, and for institutions which preserve the cultural heritage of the United States”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 953

Title 20, Education

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110