The American Council for Polish Culture, Inc. is a national non-profit, charitable, cultural and educational organization that serves as a network and body of national leadership among affiliated Polish-American cultural organizations throughout the United States. Founded in 1948, the Council currently represents the interests of some 21 affiliated organizations located in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Its oldest affiliated organization, the Polish Arts Club of Chicago, was established in 1928. Incorporated in the State of Illinois as a non-profit corporation, the Council holds tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational entity.
The Council also has a class of individual members, which together with subscribers to its quarterly publication, the Polish Heritage, now total nearly 250 in number. Additionally, the ACPC enjoys the support of 13 major Polish-American cultural organizations in 8 states and the District of Columbia. These supporting organizations do not participate in the constitutional proceedings of the Council but are prominent, esteemed cultural organizations which share in the goals of the Council while serving as part of the ACPC's network in an associate status and contributing financially. Children and grandchildren of every member are eligible to compete in the Council's several scholarship programs. The Council meets in annual convention at sites around the country usually sponsored by its affiliate organizations. In 1991, after the fall of communism, the Council held its first Council-sponsored convention in Poland and in 2002 convened in Krakow, Poland. Another Council-sponsored convention outside the US was held in 1997 in Toronto, Canada. The most recent Convention was sponsored in 2009 by the Cultural Club of Greater Hartford, CT. A Council-sponsored convention is scheduled for 2010 in Rapid City, SD with visits planned to the Crazy Horse Indian Museum.
The ACPC Board is comprised of five elected officers and 12 elected national Directors, as well as representatives from each of the Council's affiliates, past ACPC presidents, appointed and standing committee members. The Board meets twice each year outside of the context of the Annual Convention -- once in the Spring and again in the Fall at sites hosted by affiliate and supporting organizations.
The Polish Heritage, a quarterly review on cultural subjects of interest to the Polish-American community as well as reports on the current activities of the ACPC and its affiliate organizations, is published by the Council. This publication is distributed not only to members of the Council and its affiliated organizations, but also to its supporting organizations, universities, libraries and cultural organizations and embassies abroad. Some affiliated organizations follow a policy of mailing copies of the Polish Heritage to universities and colleges in their vicinities.
