Michael Orlove currently serves as the Director of State, Regional and Local Partnerships for the National Endowment for the Arts. In that capacity, Orlove provides National Endowment for the Arts funding guidance and other assistance to the 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies, the six regional arts agencies, and local arts agencies across the country. In addition, Orlove manages the agency's international activities. He served as the agency's director of Artist Communities and Multidisciplinary Performances and Works from 2012 to 2019.
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports artistic learning, affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in all American communities.
Sunil Iyengar directs the Office of Research & Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts. Under his leadership, the office has produced dozens of research reports, hosted periodic research events and webinars, led strategic plan development for the agency, and established research and data partnerships with the U.S Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. His office also conducts program evaluations and performance measurement for the Arts Endowment.