Jane Chu
2025-2026 THOMAS SCHROTH VISITING ARTIST SERIES
Jane Chu
Presenting on Artists as Leaders and Entrepreneurs
Collaborators: Tony Hardin, Sarah Labovitz, Nick Petrella, Jillian Sokso
September 9-10, 2025
Former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Jane Chu will visit ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ State on Sept. 9-10, 2025. During her campus visit, Chu will lead two public presentations:
- “Artists as Leaders†– 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, in Room 165 at the Center for Visual Arts, 325 Terrace Drive, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ.
- “Artists as Entrepreneurs†– 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, in Room 222 at Crawford Hall, 100 Midway Drive, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ.
Chu’s visit will also include interactive sessions for students and faculty exploring funding and leadership opportunities in the arts. Both events are free and open to the public. See full schedule of events below.
ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Jane Chu
Jane Chu combines her academic research and professional practice in the arts, philanthropy, and business administration. In 2014, she was appointed to serve as the eleventh chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, completing her term in June 2018.
During Chu’s four-year tenure at the National Endowment for the Arts, Chu traveled to 50 US states and four countries, 200 communities and made more than 400 site visits to meet with artists and arts leaders, government and civic leaders, philanthropists and the general public. The NEA awarded $430 million over the four years to support the arts in 16,000 communities covering 50 states, US jurisdictions, and in every Congressional District. In 2016, the NEA was ranked number one in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government for small agencies.
Jane Chu straddles multiple cultures, having been born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and raised in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She received bachelor’s degrees in piano performance and music education from Ouachita Baptist University, as well as a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from Southern Methodist University. Additionally, Chu holds an associate degree in visual arts from Nebraska Wesleyan University, an MBA from Rockhurst University, a Ph.D. in philanthropic studies from Indiana University, and six honorary doctorate degrees.
A practicing visual artist, Chu lives in New York. Her artwork can be found at