Which federal program was established to support the visual arts during the New Deal?

The Works Progress Administration Federal Arts Project played a crucial role in supporting the visual arts during the New Deal era. This program was established in 1935 as part of the broader Works Progress Administration, which aimed to provide jobs and improve the economy during the Great Depression. The Federal Arts Project, a subset of the WPA, specifically focused on employing artists, musicians, and writers, thereby not only providing them with financial support but also enriching American culture.

Through this initiative, numerous public murals, sculptures, and works of art were created, many of which remain significant parts of American public spaces today. The project enabled artists to contribute to society by making art accessible to the public while also allowing them to continue pursuing their craft during a time of economic hardship. This was the first large-scale federal sponsorship of the arts and helped to establish the importance of federal support for the arts, which has continued in various forms to the present day.

Other answers do not capture the specific historical context of this federal support program as effectively as the Works Progress Administration Federal Arts Project. While the National Endowment for the Arts, for instance, was indeed created later to encourage and support artistic endeavors, it did not originate during the New Deal period.