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Cultural Representatives are comprised of a dedicated group of people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines who participate in exchange programs to further the Department's public diplomacy goals. These programs, which include the Ambassadors, Envoys and Visitors programs, build and strengthen relationships among diverse world cultures. The activities they carry out help countries to strengthen their own cultural institutions as well as to build sustainable linkages and relationships between American individuals and institutions and their foreign counterparts. Cultural Representative programs respond to Washington and field needs and provide opportunities to showcase American arts and arts management through targeted programs and short-term residencies. These programs also offer an opportunity for Americans to learn about foreign cultures, arts and arts management.

The Cultural Ambassadors comprise a group of people known throughout the world for excellence in their fields who teach, mentor and work with young people. While overseas they engage with youth by undertaking projects in their areas of expertise through clinics, performances, coaching sessions, motivational speeches, master classes, and leadership training.

Cultural Envoys are American performing and visual artists, arts managers and educators who travel abroad for short-term residencies to conduct workshops, master classes, present seminars, or deliver lectures. These activities are conducted in diverse fields such as film, intellectual property rights, video art, sculpture, painting, cultural preservation and heritage, conservation, museum administration, theater, modern dance, music, arts management and education to build and strengthen relationships between U.S. and foreign countries.

The Cultural Visitors program provides opportunities for young performing artists, filmmakers, and arts managers (ages 19-30) from countries with significant Muslim populations to take part in training, mentoring and residency experiences in the United States. These programs offer young professional artists creative approaches in the development of the visitor's artistic talents or arts management skills while promoting an understanding of American society, culture and values.