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ADVOCACY UPDATE
Obama Administration's Budget Reduces Funding for the Arts
The Obama administration’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, released yesterday, included some disappointments for the arts and seemed to contradict Obama's previous vocal support of the arts and arts education.
Reduction of National Endowment for the Arts Funding
The National Endowment for the Arts saw a $6.4 million decrease from the final $167 million that was passed and signed last year. However, the $161 million that the president proposed this year is the same as he recommended last year—it was then the House and Senate that approved higher spending during the appropriations process.
The president’s budget is just the beginning of the funding process—arts advocates still have much time to let their voices be heard. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch is already calling on Congress to increase funding from the Administration’s budget:
“At a time when the Americans for the Arts National Arts Index shows that because of the current economy support for the arts is at its lowest point in a decade, arts organizations have been relying on one area where funding has been on the increase—the leveraging power of federal funding for the arts and humanities…We now turn to Congress to continue its investment trend in providing additional appropriations for the NEA.”
Arts Education Dedicated Funding Eliminated
Also of note, Arts Education funding will no longer be its own portion of the budget. Arts education will now be rolled into a program named “Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education” which includes six other non-arts related programs. Mr. Lynch stated that this new category “puts us at unease and could lead to a diminished focus on arts education.”
The entire new program is funded at $265 in the president’s budget in comparison last year arts education received a dedicated $40 million. While the amount that will be focused on arts education isn’t known at this time Mr. Lynch says, “It is an unbeneficial move at a time when arts education cuts are happening across the country.”
To join the movement to ensure the arts and arts education are fully funded become a free member of the Arts Action Fund today! You can also read Mr. Lynch’s full statement in response to the administration’s budget on the Americans for the Arts website.
Art Hangs in the Balance of Brees - Manning Showdown
Art Hangs in Limbo of Saints - Colts Game
The outcome of the Super Bowl will determine where two famous paintings hang for the next few months. The Indianapolis Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art have each wagered a three-month loan of one of their works as part of a bet for their respective teams. Apparently the combination of art and hometown teams got the museum directors all riled up as Tyler Green reports on ArtsJournal's, Modern Arts Note blog.
Art museum director Super Bowl trash talk: It's ON
"In response to the proposed Super Bowl bet between the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art about which I posted on Monday, NOMA director E. John Bullard has come roaring back in defense of his Saints.
First, some background: On Monday, IMA director Max Anderson initially proposed wagering an IMA loan of an Ingrid Calame painting. That was a nice choice... but apparently Anderson wasn't too worried about having to pay off the bet: "We're already spackling the wall where the NOMA loan will hang," he tweeted.
On Tuesday morning Bullard emailed MAN HQ:
"Max Anderson must not really believe the Colts can beat the Saints in the Super Bowl. Otherwise why would he bet such an insignificant work as the Ingrid Calame painting? Let's up the ante. The New Orleans Museum of Art will bet the three-month loan of its $4 million Renoir painting, Seamstress at Window, circa 1908, which is currently in the big Renoir exhibition in Paris. What will Max wager of equal importance? Go Saints!"
Anderson TwitPics from his seat at the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium. I expect a response...
UPDATE, Tuesday, 2:20pm EST: SNAP! Anderson tweets back at NOMA: "We'll see the sentimental blancmange by that "China Painter" and raise you a proper trophy: [A Jean-Valentine Morel jeweled cup, which won the Grand Medal at the 1855 Paris World Fair.]"
UPDATE: Tuesday, 11:20pm EST: These museums are getting serious.
In an email I received while I was, er, on my way to dinner, Bullard raised the stakes: "I am amused that Renoir is too sweet for Indianapolis. Does this mean that those Indiana corn farmers have simpler tastes? If so why would Max offer us that gaudy Chalice -- just looks like another over-elaborate Victorian tchotchke. Let's get serious. Each museum needs to offer an art work that they would really miss for three months. What would you like Max? A Monet, a Cassatt, a Picasso, a Miro? Sorry but we have no farm scenes or portraits of football players to send you."
Ouch!: I suspect Bullard knows that the Indianapolis Museum of Art actually owns a farm. (It's part of the IMA's endowment.)
A couple hours after Bullard's rejoinder, Anderson replied to both Bullard and to @NOMA via Twitter: "Colts will win; here's how sure I am: [the IMA's four-by-six-foot JMW] Turner for Vigée Lebrun's Portrait of Marie Antoinette."
I think we might have a winner..."
Crash Course in Arts History Leads to Torn Picasso
A woman got a little too close to the 105-year-old Picasso masterpiece, The Actor, during a tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Friday, January 22, 2010. Tripping, the unnamed woman crashed into the painting, creating a six-inch tear in the canvas, reports The New York Daily News. Fortunately, the damage is confined to the bottom right corner of the six foot by four foot painting—an area the Met says is not a focal point and can be restored.
While some are speculating that the damage will cause the current value of $130 million to drop by half, the museum expects to have the painting fully repaired for the Picasso exhibit opening April 27, 2010.
Celebrate Americans for the Arts 50th Anniversary by Joining the Movement to Support the Arts in Your Schools and Community Through the Arts Action Fund
The Arts Action Fund's parent organization, Americans for the Arts, invites you to celebrate 50 years of advancing the arts in America. In honor of the 50th Anniversary, the Americans for the Arts Action Fund is launching a new and improved website providing your with more information, tools, and opportunities to ensure the health of the arts in your schools and community.
Get ahead of the curve and join the largest grassroots advocacy movement in the country today—its FREE! Become a citizen advocate and help keep the arts in schools, improving the overall academic performance and test scores of our country's children, and teaching them the creative skills they'll need to succeed in the 21st century. By joining today you ensure that you’ll be among the first people to be notified when the new site launches in March 2010 to gain access to news and tools to advocate in your home town. Click the image below for a preview of the new site design.
First National Arts Index Released
This morning, Americans for the Arts released the first ever National Arts Index measuring the health and vitality of the arts in the United States. Think of it as a measure like the Dow Jones, telling you about the health of the stock market but focused on the arts.
This new tool will provide arts advocates around the country the opportunity to view the national picture and the ability use this information to educate lawmakers on the value of the arts, current trends and more.
In order to keep this information up to date, Americans for the Arts will be releasing a new National Arts Index each October in celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month. To find out more about the study, read key findings, or download the full study visit the National Arts Index page.
Arts Hit Prime Time on PBS
“Television remains the most popular form of mass media, even through the age of the internet,” PBS Chief Paula Kerger stated when speaking before Town Hall Los Angeles earlier this week. It is this popularity paired with the fact that PBS has “kept the flame alive,” for culture-centric cable channels that prompted Kerger to that she is renewing the network’s commitment to arts programming and arts education.
“To be candid, over the years, we haven’t done as good a job [with cultural programming] as we could,” she said. “I think we can do more. We’re looking to increase the investment we’re making in the arts.”
Among the updates coming to PBS with the new arts initiative will be an online arts portal on PBS.org featuring everything from ballet to opera to theater and more, a shift in the television schedule providing one night of prime time programming per week devoted exclusively to the arts, and new material for the PBS Teachers website to help instructors incorporate the arts into the curriculum. “If we can put those pieces together, it’ll have more impact and, hopefully, crate an audience for more,” said Kerger.
Ripple Effect Key to Public Support of the Arts
A recent study entitled The Arts Ripple Effect: A Research-Based Strategy to Build Shared Responsibility for the Arts commissioned by The Fine Arts Fund of Cincinnati found that people often say they support the arts but back away from offering concrete support in terms of time or money. A variety of reasons were found for this lack of support from believing the arts are a private matter to feeling they are a low priority even if they support them in general.
However, the study concluded that the best way to get the public to increase their support of the arts is focusing on the concept that the arts create “ripple effects” of benefits throughout the community. Such effects include a vibrant, thriving economy where both tourists and residents are attracted to the area and a more connected population where diverse groups share common experiences while also having the opportunity to hear new perspectives.
“We need to move people into action,” said Vice President, Arts and Culture Partnership for The Fine Arts Fund Margy Waller. “We need to get to a place in Cincinnati where the arts are viewed as a benefit to the entire community and we share responsibility for them.”
President Obama Marshaled Largest Infusion of Cultural Funding in Decades
As 2010 begins, we look back at President Barack Obama’s first year in office and the impact his administration has had on cultural funding to find that he marshaled the largest infusion of cultural funding in decades.
There was “the $100 million in new funding for the arts, including a one-time $50 million infusion from the economic stimulus package to preserve arts jobs. There were sizable increases as well in the annual appropriations for the arts and humanities endowments. Both agencies will receive $167.5 million in 2010, their largest allocations in 16 years.”
“In pressing to restore arts funding, the advocacy group Americans for the Arts has stressed the economic impact of the arts, totaling nearly 6 million nonprofit jobs among 100,000 organizations. That's up from just 7,000 nonprofit arts groups 50 years ago.”
“Federal grants helped fuel that growth," said Robert Lynch, president and chief executive of the lobbying group, "by leveraging other public support and private funding for the arts. It's been so successful over the past 50 years, it's good business sense for there to be a bigger investment," Lynch said.
Read the full Associated Press article and join the Arts Action Fund to become part of the movement to see increased funding for the arts and culture in America.
Tennessee Program Brings the Arts to Every Student
Last week 3,600 second grade students from 47 elementary schools in Hamilton County, TN attended the Chattanooga Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. This opportunity was made possible with the launch of Imagine, an education initiative aiming to expose every Hamilton County public elementary student to the arts through activities presented by local organizations
Finding that student experiences in the arts varied greatly from school to school, Allied Arts created Imagine. “The question we asked…was whether a student’s exposure to the arts should be based on the luck of where they go to school or by design,” Allied Arts President Dan Bowers said in a press release. “With our new Imagine initiative, Allied Arts is taking a strong stand that exposure should be by design and that it should be for every elementary school student in Hamilton County.” The program will be incorporated into classroom curriculum by grade level and will provide tickets, transportation, and teacher preparatory materials.
Florida Study Shows Impact of Arts Education
Students who take art, dance, or music classes in Florida have higher grade-point averages, graduation rates, and SAT and state standardized test (FCAT) scores according to a study done by the Florida department of education. For example, 56 percent of students who took four or more credits of music had grade-level scores on FCAT reading, compared to 27 percent of those with no music credits.
Regardless factors like previous academic achievement, cultural background, or socioeconomics, all students who participated in some form of the arts out-performed their peers who did not. “While the correlation of music to academic success has been provided before, this Florida data reinforces that dance, music, theater, and visual art education have a broad positive effect across races and socioeconomic levels,” wrote Dr. Eric Smith, Florida Commissioner of Education in his review of the study.
NEA Survey Finds Arts Participation Decreasing
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released the full 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts report today that showed the number of American adults attending arts and cultural events has sunk to its lowest level since 1982, which was when the NEA began conducting the poll.
The study noted that the decrease in participation was partially due to the economic conditions of the past two years, but also highlighted the fact that the number of individuals attending at least one event a year had declined.
In order to explore the findings further, the NEA will host a webcast with representatives of national arts service organizations and regional service organizations today including many partners of the Arts Action Fund.
Art Strengthens America Says President Obama
“So let's never forget that art strengthens America. And that's why we're making sure that America strengthens its arts.” President Obama said, reinforcing his support of the arts in America during a reception for the Kennedy Center Honorees Sunday night.
While celebrating the induction of honorees writer, composer, actor, director, and producer Mel Brooks; pianist and composer Dave Brubeck; opera singer Grace Bumbry; actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro; and singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen, the president took the time to remind those gathered that he views the arts as essential to our country and our lives.
“It's why we're re-energizing the National Endowment of the Arts. That's why we're helping to sustain jobs in arts communities across the country. It's why we're supporting arts education in our schools, and why Michelle and I have hosted students here at the White House to experience the best of American poetry and music.”
You can read the full transcript of the president’s remarks here.
Arts Funding Cuts Threaten City's Identity
Many of the residents of Bainbridge Island don’t want their home to turn into just any other town. While the city has been forced to make many financial cuts over the past year, including in core services such as roads maintenance and law enforcement, there have also been significant cuts in funding to the Bainbridge Arts and Humanities Council (BIACH). These cuts forced BIACH to reduce their grants to other arts organizations by 57 percent.
Recently almost 100 community supporters including Ellin Spenser, board president of Bainbridge Arts and Crafts, protested the cuts to BIAHC at a city council meeting. Spenser for one believes it is not core services that make Bainbridge a stand-out community. Residents were not drawn to Bainbridge by “nice roads,” she said, but because of the “culture and creativity” they found. “[Bainbridge] is not just any other town,” she said. “But if we don’t put money into this, we redefine ourselves as just any other ordinary town.”
Cuts in Art, Music and P.E. Force Parents and Teachers to Get Creative
In Columbus, OH,
Twice a week about 60 sixth-graders from two middle schools meet for a parent-organized band at the local high school, providing them with some of the instruction they would have previously received in class.
Many teachers have been trying to give students lessons in art or music while teaching other subjects through activities like sketches for science and social studies but it doesn’t fill the void. As Lauren Vega, a local fifth-grader said, it’s not the same to copy drawings from her notes as it is to take an arts class. “It’s important for kids to let out what they need to let out, and that’s one of the things I enjoy doing—drawing, I can let out anything inside me,” she said.
Operating levies that would have restored funding have failed to pass twice but local citizens feel as though cuts should have been made in other areas. “I almost feel like they are holding the parents and students hostage,” said Laura Cloud whose daughter graduated from the district in 1999.
Americans for the Arts President Highlights Advocacy at Princeton Symposium
President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Robert L. Lynch spoke November 16, 2009 at the Arts and Economic Crisis symposium at the Lewis Center for the Performing Arts at Princeton University. Sharing the stage during a panel entitled The Economic Crisis and America’s 'Art Ecology, Lynch spoke to the influence advocacy can have on funding.
Lynch encouraged arts administrators, artists, patrons, and community leaders to seek support for arts and arts education for government officials at all levels. “Poems are just as powerful as the work of lawyers and dentists,” Mr. Lynch said. “We should be talking about the arts and their value to change lives and communities.”
Volunteers Make Sure Arts Don't Disappear from Florida Schools
In response to budget cuts, volunteers in Highland County, FL, have been working to bring art back into classrooms in an innovative way. Organizers have assembled quick and easy kits for all of the 330 busy elementary school teachers in the district. “Arts has got to get into schools,” Patricia Cross, one of the organizers says. “Studies have shown it helps students do better on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.”
Each kit provided to teachers contains six ready-to-go projects that range from simple coloring to one tying in math exercises. Students are given a project once a month and when completed the projects are returned to the organizing committee. The committee will be displaying student work selected at random at South Florida Community College on May 1, 2010, as part of a day dedicated to the arts.
Filmmaker and Stars Advocate For the Arts While In Washington
While in Washington for a screening of their upcoming movie Me and Orson Welles, Zac Efron, Claire Danes, and Richard Linklater joined Americans for the Arts and Impact Arts + Film Fund at advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill and at the White House. They met with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Kalpen Modi, Heather Higginbottom, and Rachel Goslins, among others and discussed the critical issues facing arts education in schools today.
During the screening that evening the stars and director shared personal stories about their introduction to the arts through education in partnership with Americans for the Arts and Impact Arts + Film Fund. The screening panel was moderated by Washington Post education writer Valerie Strauss and also included President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Robert L. Lynch.
Join these stars and filmmaker in their advocacy by becoming a member of the Arts Action Fund today!
New Arts Education Program for Alzheimer's Patients in Wisconsin
Arts education is not just for school children anymore. The Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, WI, will soon unveil a new program linking arts education with Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. The program will be split into two parts, one taking place in the galleries where people will experience and discuss the art, with the other part occurring with hands-on activities. According to the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Wisconsin, researchers have found that Alzheimer's damages the left side of the brain, while the right side remains intact. Activities such as art and dancing allow for stimulation on the healthy right side and assist in meaningful interaction between those who have Alzheimer's and other memory diseases and those who care for them.
A delegation from the museum visited New York City earlier this year to see how programs work there, and will be bringing it back to Wisconsin thanks to a grant from the Helen Bader Foundation in Milwaukee. During the visit to New York City, curator Erin Narloch noticed a family "smiling, laughing, and snapping photos" later discovering that the patient was soon to be moved to hospice care. It was incredibly moving to Narloch, "In the midst of this incredibly difficult time, they found it's worth going to this program at the Met. It's that important, and it held that much value."
Parents Support Arts Education Even During Budget Shortages
Voters in Arlington school district in Texas overwhelmingly passed a $197.5 million bond package for their schools Tuesday, November 3, including $8.3 million for fine arts. In cutting budgets over the past few years, money has been eliminated for new computers, buses, and fine arts equipment, all of which this bond will restore. Once the bond election was called, many residents formed Citizens for Arlington, a political action committee that raised more than $30,000 to promote the bond issue and whose members volunteered their time to speak before civic groups. Their activism paid off in great support of the arts in schools.
Across the country, in the Fairfax school district of Virginia, about 24,900 or about 70 percent, of elementary school students are enrolled in the strings and band programs. However, these students may soon lose the classes as the county considers the $7 million in savings cutting the elementary school programs and eliminating its 146 teaching positions would bring. Parents of current and former students are appealing to the school district not to make cuts to the programs. "I am certain that if strings were not offered to my children in their elementary school setting, they would not have been drawn to music, and their lives would be much less rich," parent Patty Lankenau told the Fairfax Times.
Help support arts education and parents like these in your community and across the country by becoming an advocate with the Arts Action Fund!
Funding for the NEA and NEH Increased by $12.5 Million
On October 29, 2009, Congress passed a $12.5 million funding increase for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the FY 2010 Interior Appropriations bill. This means both agencies will now each have a budget of $167.5 million, their highest level of funding in 16 years. President Obama is scheduled to sign this bill into law by October 31, providing a great end to National Arts and Humanities Month.
As so many state and local governments have had to cut arts budgets across the country, this federal increase for the arts is especially welcome support. Thank you to our advocates who have worked so tirelessly to increase funding for these programs! We encourage you to continue your great work by sending a quick e-mail to your members of Congress letting them know how much the arts will benefit from this increase.
October is National Arts and Humanities Month!
October is National Arts and Humanities Month! We invite you to celebrate the many ways that arts and culture enhance our lives and become a part of ensuring they remain that way for years to come.
How can you be a part of the celebration? Visit the National Arts and Humanities Month map to find one of the more than 400 events near you that honor this special month. Or be a local advocate for the arts by encouraging your public officials to support the arts by signing a National Arts and Humanities Month proclamation to ensure that the importance of arts and culture in our daily lives is recognized in your community as well as nationally. (Sample proclamations can be found here.)
Visit the National Arts and Humanities Month website or toolkit to get many more great ideas about how you can get involved!
Michelle Obama Supports the Arts While at the G-20
While at the G-20 summit on September 25, 2009, Michelle Obama toured the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School with 20 other spouses from around the world. Speaking to a group of students in the school's auditorium after their tour, the First Lady called the arts, "a form of diplomacy that we can all take part in" and stated, “I wanted to come here because this school embodies the belief that President Obama and I share—and that is the arts aren't just a nice thing to do if you have a little time, right? It's not just a hobby, although it can be a very good hobby. It shouldn't be something you do just because you can afford it. We believe strongly that the arts aren't somehow an ‘extra’ part of our national life, but instead we feel that the arts are at the heart of our national life.”
Senate Passes NEA Funding
On September 24, 2009 the Senate passed the FY2010 Interior Appropriations bill bringing the proposed funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to $161.3 million. This number is close to President Obama's proposed funding of $161 million which was an increase of $6 million over FY09, but is well below the House passed proposed funding of $170 million.
Now that both houses of Congress have passed proposed funding, the work will begin to reconcile the two amounts. The current fiscal year is due to expire October 1st but it looks likely that it will be extended, giving Congress more time set final funding levels.
Join the Discussion About Arts Education!
Two dozen arts education experts and activists have taken over the Americans for the Arts blog with a full week dedicated to arts education. This blog event is not designed solely for professionals but also citizens and concerned parents with the bloggers talking about steps that each person can take to ensure the children of their community have access to great arts education. Take a few moments from your day to share your opinions about arts education and read what others around the country are saying.
To help ensure that the arts remain a part of every child's education become a member of the Arts Action Fund - it's free and easy!
United We Serve: Share Your Story
August 21, 2009—As many of you are aware, President and Mrs. Obama have made volunteerism a central part of their call to build community, part of the White House's United We Serve initiative. 
Americans for the Arts is happy to announce the launch of a new web portal dedicated to promoting community service opportunities for arts groups, arts volunteers, and artists nationwide. Serve.artsusa.org is a place for volunteers in the arts to share stories and upload photos and videos related to their volunteer experiences. Inspired by President Obama, Americans for the Arts is leading the nation’s arts sector to be an active participant in this national service initiative. Please visit the website to showcase your personal or professional volunteer stories, videos, and pictures, which we will then compile and share with the White House, Congress, and the media. By demonstrating the impact of arts volunteerism, we aim to encourage arts volunteerism support. The interactive site allows you to:
- Share your story. Calling all volunteers in the arts to share stories and upload photos and videos related to their volunteer experiences.
- Become a partner. Calling all arts groups around the country to sign up as a national partner for United We Serve: ARTSusa.
- Sign the petition. Show your support of President Obama’s proposed “Artists Corp.”
- Find volunteer opportunities. Serve.artsusa.org links to All for Good where you can browse activities and find volunteer opportunities based on your location or interests.
NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman released an online video greeting on August 17, 2009, introducing himself to the nation. In his brief remarks, Mr. Landsman stated that, "now more than ever the arts matter in America" and that "arts education is indispensable to raising America’s next generation of creative, innovative thinkers." Click here to hear his full remarks.
Help ensure that arts education remains a priority for both the new NEA chairman and your elected leaders and show that the arts matter more than ever by joining the Arts Action Fund today!
Senate Confirms New NEA and NEH Chairmen
On Friday, August 10, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Broadway producer Rocco Landesman to serve as the next chair of the National Endowment for the Arts and former Congressman Jim Leach to serve as the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Both are expected to begin work next week. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch issued the following statement:
"Today's Senate confirmation of Rocco Landesman and Congressman Jim Leach marks a moment of great opportunity for our nation's cultural agencies. Landesman embarks as chair of the nation's arts agency with a robust agenda, an upward trajectory of funding, broad congressional approval, and a White House committed to attracting national attention to the value of the arts and integrating them into broader domestic policies."
Upon his nomination, Mr. Landesman said, "I am honored to receive the Senate's vote of confirmation. I look forward to serving the nation as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. I believe this is an auspicious time for the NEA and the country. Art is essential to the civic, economic, and cultural vitality of our nation. It reflects who we are and what we stand for—freedom of expression, imagination, and vision. I am eager to work with our many partners to bring quality arts programs to neighborhoods and communities across the country."
Guide to Accessing Stimulus Funds for Arts Education
During tough economic times like these, arts education funding is often one of the first items cut from the budget—but it doesn't have to be. The economic stimulus bill, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, includes a number of expanded funding opportunities that could be available to assist arts education providers. Americans for the Arts has created a resource guide that outlines these programs and policies to help arts education advocates understand and access stimulus funds.
Accessing Stimulus Funds for Arts Education offers details about each program that was funded through the stimulus legislation, details of arts education’s fit within each program, and guidance on accessing the funds. This guide will help your teachers, principal, and school board make sure the arts aren't left out of your child's education. Please play your part and share this important resource with educators and other arts education supporters!
National Service and Arts Education Funding Going to the Senate
On Friday, July 24, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriation bill, which sets the funding level for both the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and Arts in Education programs (AIE) at the U.S. Department of Education. AIE is set to receive a $2 million boost over last year's funding level to total $40 million, falling short of the $53 million requested by advocates on Arts Advocacy Day this year. These arts in education programs fund grants for arts education professional development and model dissemination programs, as well as arts education programs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and VSAarts.
In addition to arts education, this legislation has recommended $1.059 billion in FY 2010 for CNCS. While this figure is a $169 million increase in order to implement the new Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the allocation falls $90 million below President Obama's request. With the new eligibility provided to the arts in the Serve America Act, now is the time to invest in service, creativity, and social innovation. Congress needs to fully support these important programs.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is preparing to take up this funding legislation within the next week, and Americans for the Arts Action Fund needs your help to urge your Senators to fully fund these important programs. Please take a moment if you aren't already a member to become an official member of the Arts Action Fund and then head to our e-advocacy center to write your Senators in support of this funding today!
Book Highlights Art of 2008 Presidential Campaign
In the run up to the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama’s messages of “hope” and “change” inspired millions. Among those inspired were a number of artists who created lasting images and artwork that translated his message and, in turn, inspired the movement that led to his victory. Shepard Fairey, most notable for his “HOPE” portrait of Barack Obama, has released ART FOR OBAMA: Designing Manifest Hope and the Campaign for Change, a book comprised of 150 images from the campaign. Profits from the book will be donated to Americans for the Arts. To read more about the book and Shepard Fairey, click here.
Visit the Americans for the Arts blog to share with us how you were inspired by the role of the arts in the 2008 presidential campaign.
Arts Education Report Card Shows 'Mediocre' Achievement
June 16, 2009 - Yesterday, for the first time in 11 years, the federal government released a national report card on achievement in the arts among eighth graders. This long-awaited report finds that since 1997, our nation's students have not made significant progress in developing their skills and knowledge in the arts. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) in the Arts report is the only continuing, national measure of academic achievement in America's schools.
A nationally representative sample of over 7,900 eighth grade students from public and private schools participated in the NAEP Arts Assessment in 2008. Students were measured on their ability to create and respond to the visual arts; whereas, the study scaled back on music questions and only measured a student's ability to respond and identify music. Unfortunately, theater and dance skills were not assessed at all due to budgetary and data collection constraints, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
As reported today in The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, and USAToday, the findings are "mediocre," "lackluster," and "may make America's arts instructors kind of blue." Not a great report card. However, new U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan gave a strong reaction in support of arts education, "This Arts Report Card should challenge all of us to make K-12 arts programs more available to America's children ...We can and should do better for America's students."
Our schools need greater support for arts education. Encourage our elected officials to respond to this challenge and do better for America's students by becoming an arts advocate today!
NEA Receives Funding Increase in House Subcommittee
June 10, 2009 - This morning in Congress, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), approved a $15 million increase for the NEA in its FY 2010 spending bill, setting it on a path towards final House consideration. Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) has once again championed the arts and culture and proposed an increase in funding.
Currently funded at $155 million, this increase would bring the agency's budget to $170 million. In his statement, Chairman Dicks referenced the Arts Advocacy Day hearings the subcommittee held as demonstrating that "the endowments are vital for preserving and encouraging America's arts and cultural heritage." On Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts presented a panel of witnesses before Chairman Dicks' Appropriations Subcommittee calling for a significant increase in funding for the NEA. Witnesses included Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis, renowned singer-songwriter Josh Groban, legendary singer Linda Ronstadt, Reinvestment Fund CEO Jeremy Nowak, and Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch. Pictures from the hearing and further details including the witnesses' testimony are available online here.
The FY 2010 Interior Appropriations bill will next go to full committee and then to the House floor for final consideration where your help may be needed to defend against floor amendments attempting to cut this increase. We must now put pressure on the Senate to match this funding level. Please take two minutes to visit the Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to send a letter to your members of Congress letting them know that the arts are important to you!
Please help us continue this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund. Play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today—it's free and easy to join.
Success for Public Arts Education in San Diego and Texas!
A group of dedicated and inventive parents, teachers, and arts professionals saved the arts education work of the Office of Visual and Performing Arts at the San Diego Unified School District yesterday in a 4-1 vote. The work of the SDUSD VAPA is essential to providing equal access to arts education for all students–regardless of income level. They work to ensure that teacher quality is high and that arts instruction is standards-based and sequential. They support schools, principals, arts teachers, and classroom teachers in making sure that the students these educators serve are getting the instruction they deserve. Its elimination would strike a blow at quality assurance and parity in arts education for students in classrooms.
With much of the leg work done by Victoria Saunders’ homemade arts education advocacy web page, and huge support from dozens of others within the San Diego district, the school board chose not to cut any more dollars than had already been cut. Just a week ago, they were considering an elimination of the office.
San Diego isn’t the only place that’s celebrating the survival of arts education this week. Texas is happy too. GoArts.com reports that Texas has retained its one-year fine arts graduation requirement and added a one-year requirement for middle school graduation. The same legislation increases the number of high school electives to six, allowing for more in-depth course of study in fine arts.
The bill is also creating a fine arts “distinction” for high schools. The distinction is an accolade that the state may confer upon particular high schools for their success in, in this case, fine arts education. Arts teachers and arts administrators have been asked to create the criteria by which high schools will be judged.
With support for Arts Education as one of Americans for the Arts Action Fund's key legislative agenda items for FY 2010, we are encouraged by the success of San Diego and Texas and the powerful example they have set.
Rocco Landesman Nominated to Lead NEA
May 13, 2009—President Barack Obama has nominated Rocco Landesman, president of Jujamcyn Theaters, to serve as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. The White House’s official statement on his nomination noted that “[h]is career has been a hybrid of commercial, philanthropic, and purely artistic engagements.” Americans for the Arts spoke to NPR about the nomination, listen here.
“I am excited to see that President Obama has made a bold choice in selecting Rocco Landesman as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. His nomination represents an important opportunity to advance the mission of the NEA to provide access to the arts for all. As evidenced in his work as a theatrical producer, Landesman has an entrepreneurial spirit that will allow the NEA to spotlight the broad spectrum of the arts in America to the nation and to the world. The nomination also represents President Obama’s continued dedication to bring all of the arts to all Americans, and his understanding of the critical role the arts play in reflecting our shared values and the strength of our diversity and democracy,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. Read the full statement.
What would be your #1 priority for the newly nominated NEA Chairman? Share your thoughts on ArtsBlog.
President's 2010 Budget Addresses the Arts
May 07, 2009—Today the White House released the Obama Administration’s budget recommendations for FY 2010. Included in the budget is $161 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and $38.16 million for Arts in Education program at the Department of Education. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch issued the following statement:
“As the White House works to jump start the economy and re-prioritize the nation’s domestic spending initiatives, the Administration’s FY 2010 budget proposal to increase support for the National Endowment for the Arts provides another encouraging nod of confidence in the role the arts play in America’s future. The Administration’s request of $161 million would take the NEA to its highest funding level in 15 years and will help continue the upward trend of budgetary growth that Congress established several years ago. In contrast to the previous Administration, this year’s budget includes funding for the Arts in Education program at the Department of Education at $38.16 million. We hope that Congress will build on these initial budget requests to secure even higher funding levels to address the needs of the arts and arts education community.”
Contact your legislator to voice your support for the Obama Administration’s FY 2010 increases in arts and cultural funding here, Arts Action Center.
Josh Groban and Wynton Marsalis Lend Their Voices in Support of the Arts
On March 31, 2009, Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts gathered a panel of acclaimed artists and experts to call on Congress for continuing and additional support and funding for the arts and arts education in America. This hearing, entitled “The Arts = Jobs,” focused on congressional support of strong public policies for the arts, appropriating increased public funding for the arts and supporting arts workers. Josh Groban and Wynton Marsalis were among the artists who testified before a Congressional Committee to champion the benefits of arts and arts education.
Play Your Part!
Add your voice to the growing list of arts advocates across the country by joining the Arts Action Fund.
Wynton Marsalis Inspires His Audience at the Nancy Hanks Lecture
If an artist sings deep enough, he takes you to the frontiers of your soul.
—Wynton Marsalis, 2009 Nancy Hanks Lecturer
World-renowned trumpeter, composer and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis dazzled and inspired his audience with a moving lecture mixed with performance titled The Ballad of the American Arts. The 22nd Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy was presented to a capacity crowd at the Kennedy Center on the eve of Americans for the Arts' Advocacy Day. Marsalis’s lecture addressed the essential value of culture in the recalibration of American identity. After two standing ovations Marsalis wrapped up the evening with a lively performance with members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (Chris Crenshaw, trombone; Victor Goines, saxophone; Carlos Henriquez, bass; Ali Jackson, drums; and Dan Nimmer, piano).
You can get updates about other programs like the Nancy Hanks Lecture that promote the value of the arts by joining the Arts Action Fund. Membership is free and provides you with timely information as well as access to tools to make your voice part of this powerful movement in support of arts and arts education.
Americans for the Arts Advocacy Day Promotes ARTS = JOBS
Americans for the Arts celebrated Arts Advocacy Day 2009 on March 31. Held annually Arts Advocacy Day gathers and empowers America's cultural and civic organization along with hundreds of grassroots advocates to champion increased funding for the arts. This year nearly 500 arts advocates from across the nation met with their representatives on Capitol Hill, calling on them to support arts-friendly legislation and policies.
| "I am here to ask you to continue to help save those jobs which are still integral parts of the solution in solving this severe downturn." —Robert Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts at the The Arts = Job Congressional hearing |
The The Arts = Job Congressional hearing was the pinnacle of the day’s activities. Hosted by Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), a disguised panel—including Wyntom Marsalis, Josh Groban, and Linda Ronstadt— testified with conviction and passion on behalf of the arts calling for strong public policies for the arts, increased public funding for the arts, and supporting arts workers.
For more information please visit the Americans for the Arts web pages and enjoy highlights and video from Arts Advocacy Day, official testimony, and the full press release with all the details.
Add your voice to all the others from Arts Advocacy Day by sending your member of Congress a message saying the arts are important and Arts = Jobs. http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/home/.President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Testifies with Arts Leaders at Arts Workforce Congressional Hearing
Americans for the Arts presented testimony before the House Education and Labor Committee on Thursday, March 26, 2009. The congressional hearing, titled “The Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry,” hosted by committee chairman Rep. George Miller (D-CA), addressed the economic and employment impact of the arts and music industry. Witnesses included: President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Robert L. Lynch; Director, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Michael Spring; and Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY). View photos from the hearing.
Play Your Part and Help Determine the Arts Action Fund Legislative Priorities
Arts Action Fund members are invited to vote on the FY 2010 legislative agenda for the Arts Action Fund. The Board of Directors has approved two legislative policies—support for the national endowment for the arts and support for arts education—and is formally recommending them for final adoption by the Arts Action Fund Membership. The outcome of this vote will direct the priorities, time, and resources of the Arts Action Fund on the issues that matter most to its members.
This is your opportunity to make your voice heard—vote today! We must receive your vote by March 27, 2009, and will announce the FY 2010 agenda at the Arts Action Fund reception during Arts Advocacy Day on March 30, 2009.
If you are not a member of the Arts Action Fund, join today to add your voice to the next important Arts Action Fund legislative policy vote and help us promote arts, culture, and arts education—in your community and across the country.
Join us for a Congressional Hearing on the Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry
March 25, 2009 - You helped make the case that "The Arts = Jobs" and on Thursday, March 26 Americans for the Arts will present testimony before the House Education and Labor Committee at a Congressional hearing, titled “The Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry.” Hosted by committee chairman Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the hearing will address the economic and employment impact of the arts and music industry. Witnesses will include:
Robert L. Lynch – President and CEO of Americans for the Arts
Michael Spring – Director, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs; Arts Action Fund Board of Directors
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) – Congressional Arts Caucus co-chair
Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund work to sustain the health of the arts field so that the arts can grow and prosper in the 21st century. However, according to the National Endowment for the Arts, artists are unemployed at twice the rate of professional workers and the unemployment rates for artists have risen more rapidly than for U.S. workers as a whole.
A live webcast of the hearing will begin on March 26 at 10 am - join us by clicking here to watch. (Windows media)
Arts Advocates to Meet in Washington, DC for the 22nd Annual Arts Advocacy Day
March 23, 2009 - Next Monday, March 30th and Tuesday, March 31st hundreds of arts advocates from around the country will be gathering in Washington, DC for the 22nd annual Arts Advocacy Day. After a day of advocacy training, citizens from almost all fifty states will be meeting directly with their members of Congress to urge support for the arts and arts education in their states and throughout the country. This year's participants will be joined in their efforts by special guest artists Linda Ronstadt and Josh Groban both of whom will be providing special remarks at the Congressional Arts Breakfast where the Congressional Arts Leadership Award will be presented to a member of Congress who has shown outstanding support for the arts. Wynton Marsalis will also be participating in Arts Advocacy Day as the featured speaker at the Nancy Hanks lecture on Arts and Public Policy, an event attended by advocates, members of Congress and many others.
Just because you can't be in Washington, DC for Arts Advocacy Day this year doesn't mean your voice can't be heard on Capitol Hill - join the Arts Action Fund today to show your elected leaders that you support the arts and arts education!
National Endowment for the Arts Economic Recovery Grant Guidelines Released
March 3, 2009 — Thanks in part to your work with the Arts Action Fund, the Economic Stimulus bill was passed and included direct support for arts projects and activities that preserve jobs in the arts. Now it's time to take part in celebrating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants by applying for an Economic Recovery Grant. Today, the NEA released the guidelines for these grants, which are designed specifically for projects that focus on the preservation of jobs in the arts. Competitive one-time grants are available to eligible nonprofit organizations in the amounts of $25,000 or $50,000. One-time grants are also available to state and regional arts organizations for either $100,000 or $250,000. Applications are due April 2, 2009—all applicants must have been NEA grant award winners within the last four years. Full information regarding the NEA Economic Recovery Grants is available on the NEA’s website.
Inform your state arts agencies and arts organizations about this important resource. If you haven’t already done so, please join the Arts Action Fund and sign up for action alerts so you can continue to add your voice to the promotion of arts in America.
Support Your Local Arts Organization
March 3, 2009 — With less money in our pockets, some are inclined to think of the arts as a luxury one can’t afford. Quoting statistics from Americans for the Arts on how much money the arts bring to local economies, idealist.org reminds us that the arts do more than entertain us. They play a vital role in the economic well being of our community. Join us in helping the arts by attending a concert, taking in a performance at the theater, or simply visiting your favorite museum.
Economic Recovery Bill Includes NEA Funding, Strikes Anti-Arts Provision
February 13, 2009 — The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with $50 million in direct support for arts jobs through National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants. In addition to securing this critical funding, congressional and grassroots advocates were able to successfully remove a provision banning certain arts groups from receiving recovery funds they are eligible for in program areas other than at the NEA. This amendment sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) was passed in the Senate version of their bill and included language prohibiting funding for “museums, theaters and arts centers.” Thankfully, in reconciling the two chamber’s differences between their bills, the amendment was dropped from the final legislation.
Arts Recovery Funds Restored in Economic Stimulus Bill
February 13, 2009 — Today the House of Representatives voted 246 to 183 to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill includes $50 million in direct support for arts jobs through the National Endowment for the Arts and language that would have prevented museums, theaters, and arts centers from receiving stimulus funds was removed.
“It was not politics as usual in Washington, as the Congressional conferees’ final version of the bill seized the opportunity to provide much-needed stimulus support for the nation’s creative workforce. The National Endowment for the Arts will distribute $50 million of the stimulus funds to arts projects in all 50 states which specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector that have been most hurt by the economic downturn. Additionally, the final version of the stimulus bill further recognized the role the arts play in the overall U.S. economy by removing the Senate ban on state and local governments from using any of the recovery funds to benefit museums, theaters, and art centers,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.
Americans for the Arts will hold a webinar on this topic on Wednesday, February 18 at 2 pm. Free for professional members, it will update arts organizations on the economic stimulus package and other federal sources of arts funding. Click here to register.
Stimulus Bill Compromise Will Help Save Thousands of Arts Workers Jobs
February 13, 2009 — Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement as the House of Representatives voted 246 to 183 to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today:
“It was not politics as usual in Washington, as the Congressional conferees’ final version of the bill seized the opportunity to provide much-needed stimulus support for the nation’s creative workforce. The National Endowment for the Arts will distribute $50 million of the stimulus funds to arts projects in all 50 states which specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector that have been most hurt by the economic downturn. Additionally, the final version of the stimulus bill further recognized the role the arts play in the overall U.S. economy by removing the Senate ban on state and local governments from using any of the recovery funds to benefit museums, theaters, and art centers.
The nation’s 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences generate $166.2 billion annually in U.S. economic activity. They support 5.7 million jobs and provide nearly $30 billion in government revenue. This economic stimulus will minimize the concern that ten percent of arts groups could close this year and helps save thousands of arts workers from losing their jobs.
We applaud the leadership of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Appropriations Chair David Obey, House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior Chair Rep. Norm Dicks, and Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter. Their clear understanding of the economic impact of the arts has helped to educate the entire Congress on this important issue.
President Obama has said he wants ‘to use the bully pulpit...to promote the importance of arts and arts education in America’ because ‘the arts help to promote the economic development of countless communities.’ As the legislative agenda continues beyond the stimulus bill, leaders in Washington—both Democrat and Republican—should continue to recognize and firmly support the essential contribution of the arts to the growth of our economy. The arts provide cultural and economic benefits and real jobs for real people. They are fundamental in putting Americans back to work.” Read more.
Your Voice Joined With Other Arts Advocates Saved Thousands of Arts Workers Jobs
February 13, 2009—The American Recovery and Reinvestment is an important victory for all of you as arts advocates. More than 85,000 letters were sent to Congress, thousands of calls were made, and hundreds of op-eds, letters to the editor, news stories, and blog entries were generated in print and online media about the role of the arts in the economy. Artists, business leaders, mayors, governors, and a full range of national, state, and local arts groups all united together on this advocacy issue. This outcome marks a stunning turnaround of events and exemplifies the power of grassroots arts advocacy.
The nation’s 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences generate $166.2 billion annually in U.S. economic activity. They support 5.7 million jobs and provide nearly $30 billion in government revenue. This economic stimulus will minimize the concern that ten percent of arts groups could close this year and helps save thousands of arts workers from losing their jobs.
Be part of the movement to keep the arts alive and well in American. Join the Arts Action Fund or sign-up to receive action alerts to make you voice heard.
Arts Recovery Funds Restored in Economic Stimulus Bill
February 13, 2009—Today the House of Representatives voted 246 to 183 to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill includes $50 million in direct support for arts jobs through the National Endowment for the Arts and language that would have prevented museums, theaters, and arts centers from receiving stimulus funds was removed.
“It was not politics as usual in Washington, as the Congressional conferees’ final version of the bill seized the opportunity to provide much-needed stimulus support for the nation’s creative workforce. The National Endowment for the Arts will distribute $50 million of the stimulus funds to arts projects in all 50 states which specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector that have been most hurt by the economic downturn. Additionally, the final version of the stimulus bill further recognized the role the arts play in the overall U.S. economy by removing the Senate ban on state and local governments from using any of the recovery funds to benefit museums, theaters, and art centers,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.
We applaud the leadership of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Appropriations Chair David Obey, House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior Chair Rep. Norm Dicks, and Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter. Their clear understanding of the economic impact of the arts has helped to educate the entire Congress on this important issue.
President Obama has said he wants ‘to use the bully pulpit...to promote the importance of arts and arts education in America’ because ‘the arts help to promote the economic development of countless communities.’ As the legislative agenda continues beyond the stimulus bill, leaders in Washington—both Democrat and Republican—should continue to recognize and firmly support the essential contribution of the arts to the growth of our economy. The arts provide cultural and economic benefits and real jobs for real people. They are fundamental in putting Americans back to work.”
Americans for the Arts Action Fund raised Awareness Through ArtsVote2008 Initiative
November 20, 2008—In the 2008 election, the Americans for the Arts Action Fund raised the public dialogue about the arts and arts education throughout the entire campaign cycle: from presidential primaries in New Hampshire to congressional races in all 50 states. Through our ArtsVote2008 initiative, we successfully advocated for presidential and congressional candidates to make strong, public statements and commitments in support of arts and arts education. Please view our multimedia timeline for further details on ArtsVote.
Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC Makes Over $70,000 in Contributions
October 11, 2008—By Election Day, the Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC will make over $70,000 in contributions to over 120 House and Senate candidates in all 50 states. To see a complete list of all PAC-supported candidates, please click here.
Guide to Help You Learn Arts Policy Positions of Non-Incumbent Federal Candidates
September 12, 2008—To help guide voters in understanding the arts policy positions of those non-incumbent federal candidates running for election, the Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC has compiled candidate arts surveys from across the country.
Congressional Arts Report Card Rates Congress’ Voting Record on Arts Issues
August 15, 2008—The Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC has issued its 2008 Congressional Arts Report Card, which covers the 110th Congress (2007-2009). The Report Card contains letter grades and numerical scores for every Member of the House of Representatives based on his or her voting record on arts issues.
Two Key Arts Policy Questions You Can Ask Federal Candidates
April 6, 2008—
Americans for the Arts Action Fund distributes pocket-size cards of two key arts policy questions for voters to ask federal candidates during the 2008 election cycle. Click the thumbnail to the right to view a larger version of the pocket card.
