- Message from the President
- Giving Voice to the Arts
- Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC
- New Website
- Archive of Past Newsletters
New Ad Campaign to Help Families Advance Arts Education
Early 2006 will see the launch of the second phase of Americans for the Arts’ highly successful ad campaign, “Art. Ask for More.” The new ads, again created in partnership with the Ad Council and nationally recognized advertising agency GSD&M, will be targeted at helping parents become more effective advocates for arts education opportunities in their schools and communities.
The first series of "Art. Ask for More." ads consistently ranked in the top 10 of all Ad Council campaigns for three years. This Martha Graham ad was featured on several occasions in The New York Times.
According to a June 2005 public opinion poll commissioned by Americans for the Arts and conducted by Harris Interactive, 93 percent of Americans agree that the arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education. In fact, the survey shows that parents and caretakers rate the importance of arts education to a child’s development significantly higher today than they did in 2001. However, the poll also reveals that many parents believe that “other” people or organizations in the community are better suited to advocate for the arts.
Our new ad campaign will help parents to understand that they are the best advocates to advance arts education in their communities.The ads will encourage parents to visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/ Public_Awareness for specific, targeted information on how to get involved in ensuring more art in their children's lives.
The first phase of the campaign garnered participation from 367 local and statewide outreach partners and received more than $118 million in donated media. If your local arts organization is interested in increasing visibility by becoming a campaign partner, contact Americans for the Arts at 202.371.2830. In the meantime, watch for the new ads to begin showing up in print in early 2006, followed closely by television and radio spots.
The fall of 2005 was an exciting time for the arts in America. In October, Americans for the Arts encouraged arts organizations, schools, civic groups, and communities across the country to celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month. Events focused individuals, government leaders, the media, and the business community on the value of the arts and humanities in our national life. Here is just a small sampling of the activities that month.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust created a brochure with “Ten Tips for Parents to Keep Art in Their Children’s Lives.” They distributed the brochure to area daycare centers, head start programs, and schools. The Kentucky Arts Council partnered with the Louisville Free Public Library to present performances, exhibits, workshops, and demonstrations by local performing and visual artists at the library’s 17 branch locations throughout October. And BRAVO! Birmingham in Birmingham, AL, held arts festivals in three city parks.
In November, the off-year elections brought good news for the arts at the state and local levels.You can read more about the elections in the articles that follow or read our recently completed 2005 Election Impact on the Arts Report at www.ArtsActionFund.org.
Here at Americans for the Arts, we are heading into 2006 with much positive energy and hope for the state of the arts in America.We never forget that you stand behind us every day.
We thank you for partnering with us to advance the arts,
Bob Lynch
President and CEO, Americans for the Arts Action Fund
Giving Voice to the Arts
Shaping Federal Arts Policy
The Arts Action Fund monitors arts policy at the federal level and helps bring citizens’ voices to the table when important arts issues are debated. For detailed legislative updates for each of these items, please visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/LegislativeNews.Conservative Legislators on the Attack Against the Arts
Conservative legislators are attacking the arts and arts education on multiple fronts right now. The Republican Study Committee, the 100 most conservative members of Congress, is pushing hard for provisions to eliminate federal arts education funds, grants for local and state cultural organizations through the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, and funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In addition, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) has introduced a bill to “deauthorize” 14 federal programs he calls “simply unnecessary,” including the highly successful Arts in Education program within the Department of Education. Arts education and other arts programs, already dangerously underfunded, will likely suffer further cuts from across-the-board reductions to all domestic programs.
The Arts Action Fund is working with pro-arts legislators on Capitol Hill to successfully roll back these proposals and you can be sure we will continue to do everything we can to defend the arts against these misguided schemes.
New Congressional Arts Website
Americans for the Arts Action Fund recently launched a Congressional Arts Resource Website to provide congressional staff with legislative news, targeted arts research information on states and districts, and facts and figures about the arts. This site gives Capitol Hill staff 24-hour easy access to the information they need when important arts matters are under consideration or when they are formulating arts policy positions.
Sherrye Henry, former staff director of the Congressional Arts Caucus for Co-Chair Louise Slaughter (D-NY) says, “I always directed other Congressional staff to the Americans for the Arts Congressional website for the fastest and most accurate information. It’s an incredibly useful tool for keeping Congressional staff up to date on arts legislation.”
Supporting Arts Advocacy in the States
Americans for the Arts and its Arts Action Fund work closely with statewide arts advocacy and service organizations to promote and defend arts programs and funding in state legislatures.
Arts Governors Win in New Jersey and Virginia
In the only two elections for governor nationwide, candidates who pledged strong support for the arts won in both New Jersey and Virginia. Both Governors-Elect, Jon Corzine (D–NJ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), responded to pre-election surveys with strong "yes" answers to questions about their support for the arts and arts education. Surveys were conducted by our state partner organizations, ArtPride NJ and Virginians for the Arts.
TABOR Suspension in Colorado Could Open Up More Funding for the Arts
State and local arts activists in Colorado were pleased by the passage of Amendment C in the November elections.The amendment allows the state to forgo TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) restrictions on state funding for government agencies, among them, the Colorado Council on the Arts. In FY 2004, the state legislature, facing a $1 billion revenue shortfall and TABOR restrictions, was forced to slash the Colorado Council on the Arts’ budget by 93 percent to a statewide budget of only $200,000.
Florida Arts Advocacy Efforts Result in Major Funding Increases
In 2002, Florida had a $28 million budget for arts programs statewide. Then, like many states, Florida faced a budget crisis, and in FY 2003–2004, arts funding was slashed overnight by 78 percent. But today, Florida’s state arts budget has been nearly restored to its 2002 levels as a result of targeted advocacy efforts.
We talked with Sherron Long, president of the Florida Cultural Alliance, about how they did it. The answer: a targeted, cohesive statewide effort. “What was most important,” says Ms. Long, “was that we created a unified, team effort across the state. Everyone was asking for the same thing.”
They held monthly conference calls between key state arts and cultural organizations and vigilantly updated their advocacy website to keep everyone on target. They targeted key legislators with a unified campaign message—arts and culture are part of the solution to our problems. Messaging focused on how the arts help create jobs and economic opportunities, strengthen communities, and improve academic achievement. Advocates spoke to legislators and Governor Jeb Bush, one on one, at community meetings and through the distribution of 15,000 postcards.
Local Action for the Arts
Mayoral Election Results Good for the Arts
Across the country, mayors were elected in November who are strong supporters of the arts. In Atlanta, Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) won 91 percent of the vote in a campaign that vowed to make quality-of-life issues, including the arts, a priority. In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino (D), who has notably increased the number of performing arts venues in his city, was re-elected to a fourth term. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R),
whose administration has significantly promoted and supported the arts, won re-election with 58 percent of the vote. And in Seattle, Mayor Greg Nickels (D) won re-election on a record of strong support for arts and cultural affairs.
Local Arts Ballot Initiatives Pass Nationwide
Four out of four ballot initiatives affecting the arts passed with overwhelming support from voters. Most approved measures will provide increased funding for arts education in schools or will create funding opportunities for cultural arts programs and performing arts centers. Citizens voted for local ballot initiatives in Holbrook, AZ, to pass a special tax bond to construct a performing arts center; in Oren City, UT, to allocate 10 cents from every $100 in sales tax to cultural arts and recreation programs; in Santa Cruz, CA, to reauthorize a parcel tax to fund teacher and art education programs; and in Lima, OH, to adopt a 1 percent income tax to prevent further cuts to schools in areas such as arts and music.
Arts Action Fund Vice Chair Ken Fergeson speaks to PAC contributors about the importance of supporting arts-friendly candidates.
On October 10, 2005, Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC held its third fundraiser of the year, this time in New York City at the W Hotel.This event brought together new members, old friends, supporters of the arts, and leaders of arts organizations in the New York area. More than $8,000 was raised in PAC contributions.
To date, the Arts Action Fund PAC has raised $30,000 since our launch in early 2005.The funds will be used in the 2006 federal elections to support candidates with a proven track record of support for the arts. Our PAC is solely supported by donations from members like you, so please give generously as we gear up for the 2006 election season. Arts Action Fund members interested in making a PAC contribution can contact us, call 202.371.2830, e-mail pac@artsusa.org, or visit our new members-only PAC website at www.ArtsActionFund.org/PAC.
Take Action for the Arts
Visit the Arts Action Fund’s New Website and Members-Only PAC Site.
Americans for the Arts Action Fund is proud to announce our new website: www.ArtsActionFund.org.
It’s a user-friendly website created to provide updated election information and actions you can take to help elect leaders at the federal level with a proven record of support for the arts.
It’s also a quick, easy, and safe way to contribute to the Arts Action Fund PAC. Look in your mail soon for your user name, access password, and more information on how you can use the new Arts Action Fund PAC website.Then visit www.ArtsActionFund.org/PAC, login, and begin taking action for the arts.With campaigns gearing up for 2006, now is the time to donate to help us make a difference in the 2006 elections.