WASHINGTON, DC.- The National Endowment for the Arts announces the new Media Arts Director Alyce Myatt. Myatt will lead the NEA's Media Arts office, both as a leading voice for the media arts field and as manager of NEA grantmaking in film, video, audio, web-based, and other electronic media. She begins her tenure on January 3, 2011.

"The Arts Endowment will benefit from Ms. Myatt's comprehensive expertise in the media arts, and we look forward to working with her," said Chairman Landesman.

Myatt has extensive knowledge of production, creative program development, programming, and philanthropy. Most recently, she served as executive director of Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media (GFEM), an association of grantmakers committed to advancing the field of media arts and public interest media funding. She was responsible for providing the philanthropic community with activities, services, and publications to increase their knowledge and use of media in this rapidly changing field. She also served as a vice president of programming at the Public Broadcasting Service, and as a program officer for media arts grantmaking for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

"I have a working knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for artists, arts organizations, and funders in this dynamic media environment," said Myatt. "I've also had the privilege of serving several times as an NEA panelist for past NEA Media Arts grant panels. I hope to make a significant contribution to the work of the Arts Endowment."

Myatt's earlier work includes both production and program development. She was the director of children's programming at Public Broadcasting Service, and an executive producer at Children's Television Workshop and Nickelodeon. Other production clients included the Smithsonian Institution, CBS/Fox Home Video, and ABC.

Myatt has served on numerous boards and advisory groups, including the Center for Social Media at American University. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. She is currently pursuing an Executive Master of Arts from Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis.

Myatt replaces Ted Libbey, who served as Media Arts Director beginning in 2002. During his tenure, Libbey supervised the panel selection and grantmaking process, and supervised media productions for NEA programs such as The Big Read and NEA Opera Honors. Libbey is currently an advisor to PBS on arts programming through its television and new media platforms.