In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring the boundaries and benefits of art and science including integrating art and design to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, research, and inquiry, as well as public engagement. Although educators and scientists do engage in these efforts at their own institutions, they may be unaware that these issues are being actively addressed at the national level by scientific organizations, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), AAAS, and the National Academy of Sciences through various institutional partnerships, workshops, conferences, and projects. This session will present four national art plus science initiatives, including three that are funded by the NSF, that illustrate how art and design are affecting the practice of science education, public engagement, and research collaborations. Although each of these initiatives are focused on different audiences, themes, and possibilities for the scientific community, the aim of the session is to discuss recent developments of these initiatives in a common venue, learn from the collective experiences, and support educators and scientists who are engaged in these efforts at their home institutions.