The Federal Art Project

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interestsofapublicwhichneedshim,
andwhichisnowlearningto
understandhim.Andithasmadethe
artistmoreresponsivetothe
inspirationofthecountry,andthrough
thistheartistisbringingeveryaspect
ofAmericanlifeintothecurrencyof
art.HolgerCahill,directorof
FederalArtProject(1939)

1935 1943
The Federal Art Project was created in part to create thousands of government jobs for
struggling artisans and also as part of an experiment in Cultural Democracy. Cultural
Democracy is when a government attempts to instill cultural values by supporting various
aspects of culture. The United States spend thousands in supporting these artists.
The FAP employed 5,300 artists in 1936, working from a 100 art centers throughout the
country. They executed thousands of works of art in all types of medians ranging from
murals to stained glass. These artists also sought to record historical designs or
techniques through galleries or workshops with artists ranging in age.
The director of the Federal Art Project was Holger Cahill, an immigrant from Iceland,
who contributed greatly to research, documentation and support of the visual arts in
American. He helped preserve Native American art form, American folk art and many
modernist works from being lost forever. As such he created a wider audience for the arts
within American society.
The result of the Federal Art Project was that it unhindered artists in the United States,
giving them no restrictions in their art forms. Moreover, it gave the United States a better
appreciation for the arts within daily life and culture while similarly enabling many of
those artists to find employment. Although the program ended in 1943, it both
jumpstarted art in the United States and preserved art of the past.