Two years after national legislation created the National Endowment for the Arts in 1965, the North Dakota state legislature established North Dakota Arts and Humanities in 1967, as an official agency of the State of North Dakota. In 1980, the official name was shortened to North Dakota Council on the Arts. 
     During NDCA’s over fifty years, it has provided varied services to the citizens of North Dakota. The agency addresses the need for creativity in public education and enhances arts education. NDCA increases the economic impact the arts have on our state and on local communities, improves the wellness of our citizens through the use of arts programming, preserves our cultural heritage through folk and traditional arts mentorships, and enhances the quality of life for all of our citizens.