Lady Gaga, George Clooney, Jennifer Garner, and other luminaries join the President’s committee on cultural affairs.

The White House has unveiled the newest members of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a prestigious group of influential figures from the arts, academia, and philanthropy tasked with advising President Joe Biden on cultural matters. The committee is co-chaired by Bruce Cohen, the Academy Award-winning producer known for films such as American Beauty and Silver Linings Playbook, and global pop sensation Lady Gaga (born Stefani Germanotta).

Other members selected for the committee include renowned musician Jon Batiste, who performed at a recent state dinner in honour of French President Emmanuel Macron, TV producer Shonda Rhimes, rock legend Joe Walsh, and actors George Clooney, Jennifer Garner, Troy Kotsur, and Kerry Washington. The committee also features former Congressman Steve Israel, a Democrat who represented New York in the House of Representatives.

The committee’s executive director, Tsione Wolde-Michael, expressed confidence in the group’s potential, stating, “This committee is poised to have a significant impact on the arts, libraries, museums, and humanities programmes in communities nationwide.”

Many of the appointed members have previously worked with President Biden on important social issues. For example, Lady Gaga collaborated with Biden on the “It’s On Us” campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses. Additionally, television producer Marta Kauffman, also selected for the committee, hosted a fundraiser for First Lady Jill Biden last September.