George Macaulay Irwin (May 2, 1921 – November 24, 2020)[1] was an American expert in the arts and a businessman, editor, musician and conductor. Irwin is known for his work with arts organizations on the local, state, and national levels, as well as his efforts in preserving historic architecture. He was also the founder of America's first arts council, the Quincy Society of Fine Arts,[2] the founder and first chairman of the Illinois Arts Council,[3] founder and first president of the Americans for the Arts (formerly American Council for the Arts),[3] and worked as a consultant on the committee that established the National Endowment for the Arts.[4]