Date: February 15, 2006
To: Congressional Arts Policy Staff
From: Americans for the Arts
Americans for the Arts and its Arts Action Fund are pleased to send you this February issue of Arts Policy Update. This online update is designed to provide timely and relevant information to congressional staff who are working on arts and arts education issues. The update will be published six times throughout the year, as well as to convey breaking news. Click here for archives.
This information is drawn from legislative news placed on our Congressional Resource Website, which is updated regularly with comprehensive and timely information, ranging from arts-related legislation to economic data and Congressional Arts Caucus events and activities. We encourage you to visit the website often for updates.
CONTENTS
CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS NEWS
ARTS LEGISLATION NEWS
ARTS RESEARCH NEWS
CULTURAL AGENCIES & OTHER ARTS NEWS
UPCOMING CALENDAR
ABOUT US
The Senate Cultural Caucus formed last year has 29 members and is chaired by Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Enzi (R-WY), Jeffords (I-VT), and Coleman (R-MN). The most recent members are Senators Boxer, Craig, Collins and Reed.
The Congressional Arts Caucus has 187 members and is co-chaired by Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Chris Shays (R-CT). Most recently, the Caucus, in conjunction with Americans for the Arts, hosted a jazz performance by three high-school students from the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. The jazz trio performed (see "Photo of the Week" in Roll Call) on Capitol Hill the day before their school principal accepted the National Award for Excellence in Arts Programs for Youth given jointly by Americans for the Arts and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
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NEA & NEH LEVEL-FUNDING PROPOSED IN FY 2007 BUDGET
For FY 2007, the President has requested level funding for the NEA at $124.4 million and for the NEH at $141 million. The Administration proposes to shift $3.46 million within the NEA that would weaken the longstanding and Congressionally popular NEA Challenge America program to cover additional administrative salary and overhead costs and some general grant support. Fact sheets with further budget request information are available from the NEH, and the NEA.
Click here for more information, or contact Andy Finch.
PRESIDENT REQUESTS ZERO FUNDING FOR ARTS EDUCATION IN FY 2007 BUDGET
For the sixth consecutive year, the President's budget proposes eliminating funding for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs, which includes funding for model arts programs, collaborations with schools, teacher professional development, VSAarts and the John F. Kennedy Center. As has happened in the past, while the President's budget does not include funding for this program, we look to the Senate Labor/HHS/ED Appropriations Subcommittee to restore this crucial funding.
The FY 2006 bill, signed by the President this past December, contains $35.3 million for the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education, which is 1 percent lower than FY 2005 due to the year-end across-the-board rescission.
Click here for more information, or contact Narric Rome.
MUSEUM OFFICE RECEIVES $4 MILLION INCREASE IN BUDGET REQUEST
The FY 2007 budget request for the Office of Museum Services, within the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS), includes about a $4 million increase over its FY 2006 level. The bulk of the request is directed to the 21st Century Museum Professionals program. A detailed breakdown of the IMLS request is available here.
For more information, contact Narric Rome.
PUBLIC BROADCASTING GIVEN MULTIPLE YEAR CUTS IN BUDGET REQUEST
The President's budget recommends cutting $53.5 million from previously approved FY 2007 budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and a $50 million rescission from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2008. The President's budget also proposes zero advance funding for FY 2009. As a trusted community resource, CPB uses the power of noncommercial television and radio to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services. A statement from CPB, with details of the budget request is available here.
Contact Narric Rome for more information.
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SENATE & HOUSE MOVE CLOSER TO TAX RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE: 'ARTISTS' PROVISION IN SENATE VERSION
On February 2, 2006, the Senate took up H.R. 4297 and approved it 66-31, after incorporating much of its own bill, S. 2020, as a substitute. On February 8, the House named conferees (Reps. Thomas, McCrery, Camp, Rangel, and Stark). On February 14, the Senate named conferees as well (Senators Grassley, Kyl and Baucus).
The Senate version of H.R. 4297 includes several provisions that could affect the arts, some positively and some negatively. One positive provision (Sec. 208) would allow artists to take a fair market value tax deduction when they donate their own works of art to charity. Senators who support this provision should contact Tara Shaw in Senator Domenici's office immediately as she is preparing a joint letter to conferees. Senators can also support the provision by cosponsoring the stand-alone bill S. 372, which was offered by Senators Leahy and Bennett.
Another item of interest in the bill (Sec. 202), which we have long supported, allows individuals aged 59 1/2 or older to roll over funds from their IRA accounts to charities without realizing the proceeds as taxable income.
However, a more controversial provision (Sec. 201) would impose a new floor on deductions for charitable gifts to taxpayers who "itemize" their deductions (Schedule A). The Senate bill would prevent these taxpayers from taking charitable tax deductions for the first $210 of their donations ($420 in the case of married joint filers). Americans for the Arts has taken a position against the proposed new floor on charitable deductions for itemizers. It is important to note that the House of Representatives did not include any of the charitable reform provisions above in its tax reconciliation package.
Click here for more information, or contact Andy Finch.
ARTS RESEARCH NEWS
NEW ARTS RESOURCE GUIDE ON TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
Americans for the Arts has published a new resource guide for local arts organizations to consider how to apply for federally funded, state-directed transportation enhancement projects. The resource guide provides arts examples and includes newly reauthorized Transportation Enhancement Program guidelines that can assist organizations in your district and state. The Transportation Resource Guide, along with the Military Base Closings Guide can both be found on the Americans for the Arts website.
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CULTURAL AGENCIES & OTHER ARTS NEWS
PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON THE ARTS & HUMANITIES
First Lady Laura Bush Presents Coming Up Taller Awards: 17 Awards Made in 13 States
The annual Coming Up Taller Awards were presented on January 25, 2006, by First Lady Laura Bush. The awards were given to afterschool arts and humanities programs that represent a diverse array of experiences that enable young people to nurture their interests under the disciplined and caring tutelage of educators and community leaders. Recognized programs received $10,000 in honor of their accomplishments in enriching the lives of young people and their communities. Seventeen programs were awarded located in 13 states (CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, HI, IL, KS, MA, MN, NY, PA, RI) and further details are available on the NEA website.
Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH). The President's Committee partners with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to administer the program, which was founded in 1998.
NEA
NEA Announces New Jazz Initiative in School
The National Endowment for the Arts and Jazz at Lincoln Center have announced that a new educational resource, NEA Jazz in the Schools, is now entering classrooms nationwide. To date, more than 2,000 high school teachers have received this comprehensive, web-based curriculum. The five-unit, multimedia curriculum is available free to high school social studies, U.S. history, and music teachers, to help their students explore jazz as an indigenous American art form and as a means to understand American history. Interested schools can find materials available here.
Click here for recent NEA grants.
NEH
Click here for recent NEH grants.
IMLS
Click here for recent IMLS grants.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2006 Arts Education Grant Competition Announced
The competition for the Model Development & Dissemination Arts Education program has been announced by the U.S. Department of Education. The application notice was published on February 6, 2006, and is also available in pdf format. The deadline for the "Notice of Intent to Apply" is set for March 8, 2006; and the application deadline is April 7, 2006. A total of 35 three-year awards are expected, each at an average yearly amount of $250,000. State arts agencies, school districts and local arts organizations are all eligible to apply - notify your district offices!
Education Innovator Publication Profiles Arts Education & Hurricane Katrina Relief
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation & Improvement publishes a monthly newsletter called The Education Innovator that reports on best practices, education reform and improvement. In the January 26, 2006 issue, a feature article described the positive impact arts education can have on students who are dealing with the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Several of the programs the newsletter cites are funded through the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education, which although limited in funding and scope, has provided 122 grants in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The article also touches on arts education in connection with other traumatic events, and includes resources and links to other publications.
AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS
Americans for the Arts & U.S. Conference of Mayors Present 2006 Public Art Leadership Awards
On January 25, 2006, Americans for the Arts and The U.S. Conference of Mayors presented the 2006 Public Leadership in the Arts Awards to Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and Louisiana's premier arts training center for high school students, the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts | Riverfront (NOCCA). The awards honor elected officials and artists or arts organizations that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in advancement of the arts.
The awards were presented at the Mayors Arts Luncheon as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' 74th winter meeting in Washington, DC. The awards have been given annually by Americans for the Arts and The U.S. Conference of Mayors since 1997. The award for Congressional Arts Leadership will be presented at the annual Arts Advocacy Day Congressional Arts Breakfast, which will be on March 14, 2006.
From left to right: Americans for the Arts President & CEO Bob Lynch, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts CEO Gary Wood, Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack.
UPCOMING CALENDAR
Americans for the Arts will present the 2006 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy in Washington, DC, on Monday, March 13, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. This year's speaker will be Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author William Safire. Tickets are complimentary. To order tickets, please visit our event website. Seating is limited.
- 2006 National Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, on Tuesday, March 14, 2006. Join 85 national arts service organizations and hundreds of arts advocates and constituents from all 50 states at the kick-off Congressional Arts Breakfast in Rayburn B 338-340 at 8:30 a.m. on March 14. RSVP to Americans for the Arts staff jbeland@artsusa.org
ABOUT US
For more information about Americans for the Arts or the Arts Action Fund, please visit our websites. For further inquiries about arts policy or the information in this newsletter, please contact our Federal Government Affairs staff:
Andy Finch
Senior Director, Government Affairs
T 202.712.2059
Narric Rome
Director, Federal Affairs
T 202.712.2060
Nina Ozlu
Chief Counsel for Government & Public Affairs
Executive Director, Arts Action Fund
T 202.371.2830
This update will be published six times throughout the year and for breaking news.
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