The members worked closely with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and conducted major research and cultural policy analysis.
Acting as an advisory board, the PCAH advocated for the support and funding of the arts, thus further enhancing the United States’ “investments in its cultural life.”
Though information on the PCAH’s official government site can no longer be accessed, an anonymous committee member shared their mission statement with Hyperallergic just a few days after the disbandment. The group was born out of “the fundamental belief that creativity, diversity, and democracy are intrinsically bound, and that the arts and the humanities can be a powerful force for social change.”
The committee’s demise occurred alongside the retraction of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives across all government-funded institutions, including museums. Though it is unclear what consequences will follow noncompliance, some major museums have already made the cuts.