The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, in Washington, DC, announced an innovative new venture with the US Department of State’s “Art in Embassies” program, which promotes public diplomacy through the visual arts.

The new collaboration will allow for both institutions to arrange international exhibitions, extended loans, artist residencies and programming.

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“Throughout the past 50 years, Art in Embassies has played a critical role in encouraging international cultural exchange, creating lasting connections through a shared passion in the visual arts,” said Hirshhorn director Melissa Chiu. “As a public institution with a global audience, we are excited by the opportunity to join forces as we advance our mission of showcasing renowned contemporary artists who explore the most significant political and cultural issues of our time.”

The partnership kicks off on January 11, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Ring Auditorium, with a discussion between artists Nick Cave, Imran Qureshi, and Pat Steir.

On the following day (January 12) the US Department of State will recognize the three aforementioned artists, as well as Jenny Holzer, Wolf Kahn, and Rachel Whiteread, with the International Medal of Arts during an awards ceremony.

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“Through culture, we can introduce ideas,” said Virginia Shore, acting director and chief curator of Art in Embassies, in a statement. “And each of these artists has contributed to the artistic landscape of our nation in significant ways.”

Future initiatives will be announced this coming spring.

Art in Embassies was initiated by New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1953 and formalized as part of the US State Department by the Kennedy administration in 1963.