policy and advocacy

Actor Kyle MacLachlan is best known for his roles in the films Blue Velvet, Dune, and as Ray Manzarek, the legendary keyboardist in the Oliver Stone film The Doors. His television series roles include Orson Hodge in Desperate Housewives, Trey MacDougal in Sex and the City, and Special Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks, for which he won a Golden Globe. Kyle is a member of the Americans for the Arts Artists Committee. Read Mr. MacLachlan's testimony (PDF).

Jeff Daniels is Founder and Executive Director of Michigan's Purple Rose Theatre Company, a professional nonprofit equity theatre. Jeff has also appeared in more than fifty films, including The Squid And The Whale, Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo and Something Wild, all three of which led to Golden Globe nominations. On Broadway he was nominated for a Tony award for his current role in God of Carnage. Read Mr. Daniels' testimony (PDF).

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is a lifetime Philadelphian, with an accomplished career of public service, business and financial administration. Before being elected mayor in 2007, Michael served as a City Councilman for nearly 15 years representing Philadelphia’s Fourth District—one of the city’s largest—encompassing the communities of Wynnefield, Overbrook, Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls, Mt. Airy, and parts of North and West Philadelphia. Read Mayor Nutter's testimony (PDF).

Terri Aldrich is executive director of the Minot Area Council of the Arts (MACA) in Minot, North Dakota. The MACA is a nonprofit local arts agency providing services to member organizations including, the symphony orchestra, opera company, art museum, ballet theater company, contemporary dance companies, and community theater companies. Nearly 40 arts and cultural organizations call Minot home. Read Ms. Aldrich's testimony (PDF).

U.S. Army Brigadier General Nolen Bivens (Ret.) entered the US Army in 1976 and was commissioned as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant. In U.S. Army uniform for more than three decades, he worked his way through the ranks at home and abroad, serving in capacities of increasing responsibility. His last assignment before joining General Dynamics was Chief of Staff, U.S. Southern Command in Miami, Florida, where he was responsible for leading the joint military and interagency combatant command staff and managing a $1 billion international security cooperation program. Nolen is a member of the Americans for the Arts Board of Directors. Read General Bivens' testimony (PDF).

Charles Segars is the CEO of Ovation TV, a television channel dedicated to art, performance, and creativity. Charles is also a movie producer and a TV and film executive. Ovation has given $5 million in sponsorship grants and in-kind media in support of local arts education and cultural institutions, providing them with direct support for their programs and free public service announcements (PSA’s). He was also an executive producer on the films National Treasure, and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and co-wrote the story for the first National Treasure. Read Mr. Segars' testimony (PDF).

Robert Lynch is the president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, the national organization dedicated to advancing the arts and arts education in people’s lives, schools, and communities. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, Americans for the Arts is the national convener of Arts Advocacy Day, which is co-sponsored by more than 85 national arts service organizations, representing thousands of nonprofit arts groups, state and local arts agencies and artists of every discipline across the country. Read Mr. Lynch's testimony (PDF).