President Barack Obama has created a staff position in the White House's Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs to oversee arts and culture, the New York Times reported this weekend, but it is unclear whether the post is the "culture czar" that so excited some parts of the arts world last fall. The White House has yet to release details about the position, or to formally announce the appointment, but according to the Times, the spot will be filled by Kareem Dale, a lawyer who last month was named special assistant to the president for disability policy. Dale, who is partly blind, served as national disability director for Obama's campaign and served on committees for arts policy and disability policy for Obama when he was a senator in Illinois.

Bill Ivey, who has served as Obama's transition-team leader for the arts and humanities, told the Times that he expects the job to include coordinating the activities of the National Endowment of the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services "in relation to White House objectives."