On November 30, 2011, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman and NEA Director of Research & Analysis Sunil Iyengar announced the creation of the Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development. The task force, comprised of 14 federal agencies and departments, has been formed to encourage more and better research on how the arts help people reach their full potential at all stages of life.

Following Chairman Landesman's opening remarks, Mr. Iyengar made a formal presentation. This was followed by remarks from Task Force members Kathy Mann Koepke of the National Instiutes of Health, Kathy Greenlee of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Larkin Tackett of the U.S. Department of Education. The webinar ended with an an extended question and answer period.