Through its participation in major international visual art exhibitions the United States presents contemporary American art in context with the work of artists from other countries. The Department of State supports and manages the official U.S. participation at selected international biennales and visual arts exhibitions. Organized through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Department's support ensures that the excellence, diversity, and vitality of the arts in the United States are prominently presented to international audiences. The Department's Cultural Programs Division manages these presentations, through two separate and distinct means. The first, Official Representation, offers opportunities for American curators at U.S. non-profit arts organizations to submit proposals for review by the Federal Advisory Committee on International Exhibitions. In the second, Host-Curated Representation, overseas exhibition organizers submit proposals to the Department through U.S. Missions around the world.

Official Representation
For such events as the Biennale de Venezia; the São Paolo Bienal; the Cairo International Biennale; Dak'Art - The International Biennale of Dakar, Senegal; and the Cuenca Bienal, Cuenca, Ecuador, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs issues Open Calls for Proposals to all U.S. curators at non-profit arts organizations. Curators are invited to submit applications for artists and projects they wish to develop. On behalf of the Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts convenes an advisory committee known as the Federal Advisory Committee on International Exhibitions is to review these proposals and advise the Department of the project(s) they feel best represents the U.S. at specific exhibitions. The advisory committee is composed of curators, museum directors, artists and others with expert knowledge of American contemporary art and international exhibitions and exchange.

Host-Curated Exhibitions
For these exhibitions, which include the Sydney Biennale, the Istanbul Biennial, Documenta and others, the overseas exhibition organizers submit proposals for support directly to the Cultural Programs Division of the Department of State. Funding in this case is partial; host exhibitions are expected to contribute to the support of participating U.S. artists.