Peak US arts body, the National Endowment for the Arts has announced its new director of State and Regional Partnerships. The appointee, John E. Ostrout, will be responsible for state and regional partnership initiatives and grants, which make up 40 percent of the NEA's grantmaking budget. Ostrout has served as director of cultural tourism for the past two years in Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community Development, previously working as the Director of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. During that tenure, Ostrout's influence saw the State’s national ranking in per capita state arts funding rising from 44th to first. ‘Our partnership projects with the states are vitally important in our efforts to bring the best of the arts to all Americans,' said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. ‘John Ostrout's experience running a state arts agency, together with his knowledge of the national field, make him the ideal choice to provide this crucial link between the NEA and the state arts agencies.’ Ostrout was an elected officer of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies from 1997 to 2002, and was a board member of the New England Foundation for the Arts from 1990 to 2002. ‘I am excited at the prospect of working with John in his new role. His experience, the perspectives he brings, the fact that he already has the respect of his state arts agency colleagues, and the excellent communication Chairman Gioia has maintained with our field, present great opportunity for advancing our federal-state partnership,’ said Jonathan Katz, Chief Executive Officer, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Ostrout will assume his new role on July 12. For further information, CLICK HERE.