This year is not only the 50th anniversary of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), but also the centennial of the birth of President John F. Kennedy, a native son of Massachusetts. To honor the importance of the arts and humanities to a vibrant democracy—which was a touchstone for President Kennedy—MCC and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library have partnered to introduce the new John F. Kennedy Commonwealth Award. The award, which is part of the MCC’s Commonwealth Awards program, recognizes an individual from Massachusetts who has had an impact as a national champion for the arts, humanities and sciences. This month’s biennial Commonwealth Awards ceremony marks the first time the award will be bestowed and the beginning of MCC’s year-long commemoration of President Kennedy. As part of it, MCC’s monthly newsletter will feature a column exploring President Kennedy’s lasting perspectives of and contributions to the arts and humanities, a legacy manifested in the National Endowment for the Arts, among other things. Contact Anita Walker, MCC executive director and author of the special JFK articles, to learn more.