Student Scholarship

Document Type

Research Paper

Abstract

This research paper examines the organizational structures and specific programs through which the United States participates in the international exchange of graphic arts, focusing primarily on UNESCO and the Fine Arts Committee of the People to People Program. UNESCO operates as an intergovernmental organization where the Secretariat and Director-General oversee daily functions, while national commissions, such as the United States National Commission, implement programs and advise their respective governments. The commission is composed of representatives from private interest groups and government, working through committees to provide a link between the international body and domestic organizations. 

A major component of UNESCO's cultural work is the subvention program, which provides grants to non-governmental organizations like the International Council of Museums and the International Association of Plastic Arts to improve international communication among artists and museum professionals. Key initiatives include the dissemination of high-quality color reproductions of masterpieces through biannual catalogues and traveling exhibitions, which make art accessible to global audiences in areas where originals cannot travel due to cost or climate risks. Additionally, the organization oversees the World Art Series of publications and technical manuals for the protection of cultural property during armed conflict. 

The Fine Arts Committee of the People to People Program serves as a private sector counterpart, acting as a catalyst for exchanges between non-governmental groups without the constraints of official diplomacy. While UNESCO is government-funded and initiates broad international projects, the Fine Arts Committee relies on private funding and primarily responds to specific requests for information, personnel exchanges, and educational materials like slides and filmstrips. Despite differences in scale and funding, both organizations function as essential links in promoting international understanding through the graphic arts.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: A perceived governmental lag in the United States' ability to participate in international cultural diplomacy due to the traditional separation of foreign affairs from domestic cultural activities. 

  • The Method: A 1959 comparative case study analyzing the organization, administration, and graphic arts programs of two distinct agencies: the intergovernmental United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the non-governmental Fine Arts Committee of the People to People Program. 

  • Quantitative Finding: UNESCO membership grew from 28 countries in 1946 to 81 countries by 1958; the United States contributes 31.3% of the approximately $12,000,000 annual UNESCO budget; the UNESCO Secretariat employs 1,000 international civil service employees from over 52 member states; the Fine Arts Committee of the People to People Program was established in 1956 and consists of 41 separate committees. 

  • Qualitative Finding: Cultural exchange programs utilize art, music, and literature to build international understanding in areas free of political-ideological conflict; UNESCO implements programs through subvented non-governmental organizations, color reproduction catalogues, and traveling exhibitions to bypass geographic and economic barriers to art appreciation; the People to People Program acts as a "catalyst" for private exchange to mitigate fears of government propaganda. 

Publication Date

1-1959

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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