President Bush has nominated writer and critic Terry Teachout and art museum director James K. Ballinger to serve on the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts. Council members are chosen for their widely recognised knowledge of the arts, their expertise or profound interest in the arts, and their established record of distinguished service or achievement in the arts. Teachout is the drama critic of The Wall Street Journal the music critic of Commentary, and a contributor to The Washington Post. He has also written about the arts for The New York Times, The National Review, and other publications. The artist turned arts writer has an extensive background in cultural commentary, producing and editing a number of books on specialist areas. Ballinger, a specialist in American Art, has served on numerous grant panels for the NEA, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and the Phoenix Arts Commission. He sits on the board of the Association of Art Museum Directors and is a member of the Maricopa Regional Arts and Cultural Task Force, a new community leader forum. Director of the Phoenix Art Museum since 1982, Ballinger has helmed several major exhibitions around the country. The nominations will now be reviewed by the US Senate. Once confirmed, the newly nominated council members will serve six-year terms. For further information, CLICK HERE.