policy and advocacy

Arts Advocacy Day 2010 Held on Capitol Hill

On April 13, 2010, Americans for the Arts, in conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus and 87 national arts organizations from around the country, enlisted arts, education, entertainment, and policy leaders to come to Capitol Hill for Arts Advocacy Day 2010. More than 500 arts leaders and advocates, including President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Robert L. Lynch, fanned out across Capitol Hill, meeting with members of Congress and their staff. In these meetings, advocates used the 2010 Congressional Arts Handbook to share information on important issues affecting the arts. In addition, more than 3,500 e-mails were sent to members of Congress, encouraging them to take action on several arts-related issues.

Congressional Arts Kick Off Event | Hearing | Nancy Hanks Lecture

The Arts Advocacy Day Call to Action Included:

Support a Budget of $180 Million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch (left) and US Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran (right) present the 2010 Congressional Arts Leadership Award to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Ask Congress to support a budget of $180 million for the NEA in the FY 2011 Interior Appropriations bill to increase funding for the creation, preservation, and presentation of the arts in America through the NEA’s core programs—Access to Artistic Excellence, Challenge America: Reaching Every Community, Federal/State Partnerships, and Learning in the Arts. After designating an increase for core programs, provide for the president’s request to fund a new initiative, Our Town.

Increase Funding for Arts Education through the U.S. Department of Education
Ask Congress to support a $53 million funding level for the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs in the FY 2011 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. The Arts in Education programs support newly emerging models in high-poverty schools that improve arts learning.

Allow Artists a Tax Deduction for Gifts of Their Own Work
We urge members of Congress to co-sponsor bipartisan legislation, S. 405 or H.R.1126, which would allow artists to take a fair-market value deduction for works given to and retained by nonprofit institutions.

Read the full list of legislative priorities.

Congressional Arts Kick Off Event 

Arts Advocacy Day officially kicked off at Congressional Arts Kick Off event on Capitol Hill, organized by Americans for the Arts in conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus. At the breakfast, Americans for the Arts and The U.S. Conference of Mayors jointly presented the 2010 Award for Congressional Arts Leadership to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Special Hearing of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee

Actor Kyle MacLachlan testifies on Arts Advocacy Day.

For the fourth consective year, in conjuncition with Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts presented testimony at a congressional hearing with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior. This committee allocates funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and other agencies and witnesses were on hand to ask Congress to support a budget of $180 million for the National Endowment for the Arts in FY 2011.

Testifying to the committee was a diverse group that included Terri Aldrich, Executive Director, Minot Area Council of the Arts; Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens, U.S. Army (ret.); Jeff Daniels, Golden Globe-nominated film and stage actor; Kyle MacLachlan, Emmy-nominated TV, film, and stage actor; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; Charles Segars, CEO, Ovation; and Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts. Read more information about the witnesses and their testimony here.

23rd Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy 

On the eve of Arts Advocacy Day, Mayor of Charleston, SC, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. delivered the 23rd Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy to a crowd of arts advocates and distinguished guests in the Concert Hall of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mayor Riley’s speech focused on the art of city design and the role mayors can play in transforming their cities into dynamic and more livable cultural communities. In addition the event featured performances from the Washington Performing Arts Society's Men and Women of the Gospel Choir. To listen to the lecture, please visit the audio player on this page.

Selected Press Coverage About Arts Advocacy Day