Rap lyricist, vocalist, actress and writer Toni Blackman (second from left) poses with singers in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Cultural Envoys are American performing and visual artists, arts managers and educators who travel abroad for short-term residencies to conduct workshops and master classes, present seminars, or deliver lectures. These activities are conducted in diverse fields such as film, intellectual property rights, video art, sculpture, painting, cultural preservation and heritage, conservation, museum administration, theater, modern dance, music, arts management and education to build and strengthen relationships between U.S. and foreign countries.

Envoys are sent abroad in response to requests from U.S. embassies and consulates, and work with the host institution for residencies of ten days to six weeks. The Cultural Envoy program enables Americans to develop lasting relationships with specific cultural institutions through intensive interaction with foreign counterparts. Functioning as more than a performer, or traditional teacher, specialists are expected to impart a combination of practical and theoretical expertise in their fields. Each program is developed in close cooperation with a U.S. embassy and consulates and a host-country cultural institution, with a focus on introducing counterparts to American artistic techniques and cultural values.