Established in 1963, the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies Program (AIEP) plays a vital role in American public diplomacy through the creation of temporary exhibitions and permanent collections. AIEP produces temporary exhibitions of original works of art by American artists, on loan from a variety of sources, for the representational spaces of U.S. chief-of-mission residences (CMR’s) worldwide. Equally important is its commitment to create permanent collections for all newly built U.S. embassies, consulates, annexes, and AID buildings (Capital Projects), with a focus on contemporary art and artists from the U.S. and host countries. Together, these temporary exhibitions and permanent collections provide international audiences with a sense of the quality, scope, and diversity of American and host country art and culture.
ART's curatorial team develops thematic exhibitions in collaboration with each ambassador, taking into account the host country's artistic traditions and cultural mores. They recommend artists and works of art, negotiate all loans, and propose placement of the art within the embassy residences. After all loans are secured and the art insured, ART's registrars coordinate with professional art handlers for the assembly, packing, crating and safe shipment of each exhibition to post. ART has about $4.5 million to spend each year for its permanent collections, though the collection is valued at many times that amount.[1] Hundreds of prominent and accomplished artists have either donated or been commissioned to create art for the scores of new American embassies, consulates and residences worldwide, including Sol LeWitt, Ellsworth Kelly, and Maya Lin.
Initiated in 2002, the American Artists Abroad program was created to extend ART In Embassies' exhibitions beyond the walls of US diplomatic residences into local communities. Participating American artists travel to countries where their work is exhibited and engage in a series of public cultural programming activities, such as lectures, workshops, and studio visits.