The University Coordinating Councils were established in 2006 to bring together members of the University community with shared interests, and to provide a forum for interdisciplinary research, teaching and dialogue. The Council for Media and Culture, the Council for Music, and the Council for Visual Arts were initiated by the Provost’s Office with support from the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Steinhardt School, Tisch School of the Arts, the Gallatin School, and the Institute of Fine Arts. The Councils sponsor a variety of programmatic activities and grant programs, including Visual Arts Initiatives Awards for faculty, Creative Collaboration Support Grants for faculty and students interested in music study and performance, Graduate Student Forums in Media and Culture and Summer Field Research Grants in Media and Culture.