Mary Anne Carter

Mary Anne Carter is the 14th chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Guided by the belief that the arts belong to all Americans—no matter who they are or where they live—she works to expand opportunity and support the creative spirit that helps the nation grow.

Carter also served as chairman of the Arts Endowment during President Trump’s first term, overseeing a period of steady growth at the agency. She helped position the arts as important economic assets for states and communities and expand the conversation around their role in health, healing, and recovery. She advanced the expansion of Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network and strengthened national programs such as Shakespeare in American Communities, NEA Big Read, and Poetry Out Loud, ensuring engagement for Americans of all ages.

Throughout her leadership, Carter has emphasized research and partnerships that explore how the arts support healing—from illness and trauma to natural disasters— while supporting opportunities for Americans to experience and participate in the arts and engage with the nation’s history. She has prioritized reaching audiences long underserved by federal resources, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities, and folk and traditional artists.

Her dedication to the National Endowment for the Arts is deeply informed by personal experiences that include the meaningful impact the arts have had on her daughter’s educational experience.