| Year | Pres. | House | Senate | Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | R | R | R | |||
| 1904 | R | R | R | |||
| 1908 | R | R | R | |||
| 1912 | R | D | R | |||
| 1916 | D | D | D | |||
| 1920 | D | R | R | |||
| 1924 | R | R | R | |||
| 1928 | R | R | R | |||
| 1932 | R | R | R | |||
| 1936 | D | D | D | |||
| 1940 | D | D | D | |||
| 1944 | D | D | D | |||
| 1948 | D | R | R | |||
| 1952 | D | D | D | |||
| 1956 | R | D | D | |||
| 1960 | R | D | D | The nation should begin to evaluate the possibilities for encouraging and expanding participation in and appreciation of our cultural life. | ||
| 1964 | D | D | D | We will encourage further support for the arts, giving people a better chance to use increased leisure and recognizing that the achievements of art are an index of the greatness of a civilization. | ||
| 1965 | D | D | D | National Endowment for the Arts was established |
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| 1968 | D | D | D | We will encourage support for the arts and the humanities, through the national foundations established by a Democratic Congress, to provide incentives for those endowed with extraordinary talent, enhance the quality of our life, and make productive leisure available to all our people. | ||
| 1972 | R | D | D | We should expand support of the arts and humanities by direct grants through the National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities, whose policy should be to stimulate the widest variety of artistic and scholarly expression. | For the future, we pledge continuance of our vigorous support of the arts and humanities. | |
| 1976 | R | D | D | We endorse a strong role for the federal government in reinforcing the vitality and improving the economic strength of the nation’s artists and arts institutions, while recognizing that artists must be absolutely free of any government control. | We are committed to steadily increase our support through the National Endowments for the nation’s museums, theaters, orchestras, dance, opera and film centers as well as for individual artists and writers. | |
| 1980 | D | D | D | Federal commitment to the arts and humanities has been strengthened since 1977 by expanding government funding and services to arts institutions, individual artists, scholars, and teachers. | The Republican Party will restore the sound economy which is absolutely necessary for the arts and humanities to flourish. We will restore, as well, the integrity of federal programs in this area. Most important, to ensure the continued primacy of private funding for the arts, we reiterate our support of broader tax incentives for contributions to charitable and cultural organizations. | |
| 1984 | R | D | R | The Democratic Party will set a new national tone of respect for learning and artistic achievement. Not only will the federal agencies that support them be strengthened and freed from political intimidation, but the White House itself will once again be a place where American cultural and intellectual life—in all its rich diversity—is honored. Excellence must start at the top. | We support the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities in their efforts to correct past abuses and focus on developing the cultural values that are the foundation of our free society. | |
| 1988 | R | D | D | Support the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and the Institute of Museum Services in their effort to support America’s cultural institutions, artists, and scholars. | ||
| 1992 | R | D | D | We believe in public support for the Arts, including a National Endowment for the Arts that is free from political manipulation and firmly rooted in the First Amendment’s freedom of expression guarantee. | We deplore the blatant political bias of the government-sponsored radio and television networks. It is especially outrageous that taxpayers are now forced to underwrite this biased broadcasting through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) | |
| 1996 | D | R | R | We believe in public support for the arts, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. | Examples of agencies we seek to defund or to privatize are the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Legal Services Corporation. | |
| 2000 | R | R | R | Democrats call for the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine by the Federal Communications Commission. We believe in public support for the arts, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. | ||
| 2004 | R | R | R | |||
| 2008 | R | D | D | Investment in the arts is an investment in our creativity and cultural heritage, in our diversity, in our communities, and in our humanity. We support art in schools and increased public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. | ||
| 2012 | D | R | D | Investment in the arts strengthens our communities and contributes to our nation’s rich cultural heritage. We will continue to support public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for programs providing art and music education in primary and secondary schools. | ||
| 2016 | D | R | R | Investment in the arts strengthens our communities and contributes to our nation’s rich cultural heritage. We will continue to support public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for programs providing art and music education in primary and secondary schools. | ||
| 2020 | R | D | R | Democrats are proud of our support for arts funding and education, and will continue policies and programs that promote the creative arts. We support public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and for art and music education in public schools. | ||
| 2024 | D | R | D | America is a great nation in large part because of the power of the arts and humanities that’s embedded in the DNA of America. The Administration has taken historic action to support the arts, helping libraries, theaters, concert halls, and other venues stay afloat during the pandemic. The Administration has strengthened the National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. |