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policy and advocacy
Headlines of the Week
- House Passes Interior Bill with $170 million for NEA
06-29-2009: Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $15 million increase for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for FY 2010. Currently funded at $155 million, this increase would bring both agencies' budgets to $170 million. Arts advocates must now put pressure on the Senate to match this funding level set in the House. Please take two minutes to visit Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to send a letter to your Senators.
- NEA Receives $15 Million Increase in House Subcommittee
06-22-2009: On June 10, 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. Currently funded at $155 million, this increase would bring the agency's budget to $170 million.
- Mrs. Obama Praises Arts as Vital to the U.S.
06-08-2009: In mid-May, Michelle Obama visited New York City "to promote the arts, celebrating opening night at the American Ballet Theater and the reopening of part of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mrs. Obama described the nation’s creative spirit as critical to its ideals and its identity, and said the arts needed to be nurtured even during difficult economic times. 'The arts are not just a nice thing to have,' she said, adding that the arts 'define who we are as a people.'" Read more information in The New York Times.
- Support the Arts in National Service - CNS Collecting Public Input
06-01-2009: On April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which included a provision expanding the role of the arts in national service. Before the Serve America Act goes into effect on October 1, 2009, the Corporation for National Service (CNS) is sponsoring a number of opportunities for public input including conference calls and an online discussion board. For more information on the legislation and how you can voice your support for the arts in national service, please visit the CNS website.
- Secretary Duncan Asked About Arts in the Classroom
05-25-2009: On Wednesday, May 20, Secretary Of Education Arne Duncan made his first visit before the full House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee to convey that education reform has the highest priority for the new administration. Duncan said, “It’s our role to make it a national priority to reform schools and help states and districts do that.” Secretary Duncan shared the administration’s primary education reform concerns ranging from addressing the high school dropout rates, expanding college affordability, lengthening the school day, and the already large amount of federal funding flowing to the states through the recently passed stimulus bill. After the testimony, the committee question and answer period contained specific inquiries from representatives including a question from Rep. Woolsey (D-CA) asking the secretary how he intends to address the narrowing of the curriculum under No Child Left Behind and its impact on arts and music. Duncan responded that students should have the full menu of options at school and that arts and music should not be viewed as extra curricular activities in public schools while they are considered standard in private schools. He also added that the administration intends to invest in arts education.
- President Obama Nominates Rocco Landesman to Lead the NEA
05-18-2009: President 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 Landesman’s career “has been a hybrid of commercial, philanthropic, and purely artistic engagements.” Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, “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.” Share your thoughts on the nomination and which priorities you think he should address first on ArtsBlog.
- President Obama Releases FY 2010 Budget
05-11-2009: On May 7, 2009, President Obama released his detailed FY 2010 budget request to Congress, beginning the yearly appropriations process for the nation's cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Museum Services, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs. Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, "The president's proposed funding 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." Read more information here.
- "Arts = Jobs" Hearing Video Now Available
05-04-2009: On Arts Advocacy Day, Americans for the Arts gathered a panel of acclaimed artists and experts to call on Congress for continued 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 the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), to champion the benefits of arts and arts education. See video from all the witnesses here.
- Arts Advocacy Day Video Highlights Now Available
04-27-2009: On March 31, 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 as part of Arts Advocacy Day 2009. Video highlights from this year's conference including the Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy featuring Wynton Marsalis and remarks from members of Congress and acclaimed artist Josh Groban at the Congressional Arts Breakfast are now available online.
- Actor Kal Penn Joins White House as Arts Liaison
04-20-2009: Actor Kal Penn has accepted a position as an associate director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. The star of House and Harold & Kumar will serve as liaison for the arts community, as well as young people and Asian-Americans. This is the first time that there will be an outreach officer in the White House specifically assigned to the arts. For more information, please read this article from the LA Times
- National Endowment for the Arts Announces Recovery Grants to State and Regional Arts Agencies
04-13-2009: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced $19.8 million in one-time grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to the state arts agencies and regional arts organizations to support the arts sector of the economy. Potential recipients include organizations in the performing, visual, and literary arts. See the complete list of grants and the official NEA press release for more information.
- Arts Included in National Service Legislation
04-06-2009: In March, the U.S. House approved a national service bill, with an amendment offered by Rep. Crowley (D-NY) and accepted by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) that strengthens the role of the arts in the national service programs.
Last week, the Senate approved their version of national service legislation, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which included an amendment offered by Sens. Shaheen (D-NH) and Gregg (R-NH) that expressly includes music and arts education in the Education Corps activities. The amendment will encourage the use of “skilled musicians and artists to promote greater community unity through the use of music and arts education and engagement through work in low-income communities, and education, healthcare, and therapeutic settings, and other work in the public domain with citizens of all ages.” The House quickly approved of the Senate version with the music and arts language intact on March 31 by a vote of 275–149. The legislation now awaits President Obama’s signature.
- House Committee Announces Hearing on the Arts and the Workforce
03-23-2009: For the first time in more than 15 years, the House of Representatives Education and Labor Full Committee has announced plans to hold a series of hearings on the impact of the creative industries and their vital role in our economy. Organized by Chairman George Miller (D-CA), the hearings will “examine how the arts benefit the nation’s economy and schools—and what can be done to improve support for the arts and music fields” as the nation copes with the economic downturn. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch and Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Director and Americans for the Arts Board Member Michael Spring have been invited to provide testimony to the first hearing in this series, “The Economic and Employment Impact of the Arts and Music Industry" on Thursday, March 26, 2009. The House Education and Labor Committee is the critical legislative panel that oversees authorization of many federally funded cultural institutions and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts. These hearings provide a unique opportunity to showcase the scope of the arts and culture sector’s importance to jobs and the economy.
- Congress Passes $155 million for NEA and NEH
03-16-2009: Last week, Congress passed the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The bill includes a significant $10 million increase for both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which sets their budgets at $155 million each. The legislation also increases the budget for Arts in Education programs at the Department of Education to $38.16 million; and the Office of Museum Services through the IMLS to $35 million.
- NEA Announces Recovery Grants to Support Arts Jobs
03-09-2009: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has released grant guidelines for applying for economic stimulus and job recovery arts funds. Application dates, eligibility criteria and potential project outlines are available on the NEA's Recovery website here.
- House Passes FY 2009 Omnibus Including $10 Million NEA Increase
03-02-2009: Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which included a $10 million increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. The Senate is expected to consider the legislation this week, finishing in time for the president to sign on Friday.
- NEA Receives $10 Million Increase in FY 2009 Omnibus Bill
02-23-2009: The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have announced the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill, providing the National Endowment for the Arts with $155 million, an increase of $10 million over FY 2008. The bill is expected to be considered on the House floor later this week.
- Economic Recovery Bill Includes NEA Funding, Strikes Anti-Arts Provision
02-16-2009: On Friday, February 13, 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 chambers’ differences between their bills, the amendment was dropped from the final legislation.
- Senate Cuts Arts From Economic Stimulus Bill
02-09-2009: On Friday, February 6, the U.S. Senate, during their consideration of the economic recovery bill, approved an egregious amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) by a wide vote margin of 73–24 that stated, “None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project.”
If the Coburn amendment language is included in the final conference version of this legislation, many arts groups will be prevented from receiving economic recovery funds from any portion of this specific stimulus bill. Write your Senators today and let them know that this vote detrimentally impacts nonprofit arts organizations and the jobs they support in your state.
- Arts Advocates Push for NEA Funding in Final Stimulus Bill
02-02-2009: Americans for the Arts and grassroots advocates across the country are building support for funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the final economic recovery package. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of the Economic Recovery Package by a vote of 244 to 188, which successfully included $50 million in supplemental grants funding for the NEA; however, the Senate bill currently does not include this funding. Write your members of Congress to urge them to support the arts in this legislation.
- Arts Advocates Fight to Protect NEA Funding in Economic Recovery Package
01-26-2009: As the Senate Appropriations Committee begins considerations of the economic recovery legislation on Tuesday and the House is expected to pass their version of the package this week, arts advocates from across the country are contacting their members of Congress to ensure that funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is included. Visit the Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center to send a letter to your members of Congress and urge them to support the NEA in the economic recovery package.
- Arts Included in Economic Recovery Package
01-19-2009: Last week, the House Appropriations Committee released an $825 billion economic recovery package. Included in the proposed bill is an infusion of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (in addition to its annual appropriations) to specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support. Americans for the Arts has released nine Recommendations for Economic Recovery & the Arts to help nonprofit and governmental arts groups as well as individual artists during this economic downturn.
- Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit Available
01-12-2009: Americans for the Arts has compiled an online tool kit to help arts organizations respond effectively in times of crisis. The Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit provides current information, key messaging, communications and advocacy strategies, and the research you need to make the case for keeping the arts in your community.
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