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March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress,
Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union for professional theatre actors and stage managers in the United States, is again pleased to be a national co-sponsor of Arts Advocacy Day. On behalf of the more than 51,000 members and the elected leaders of Actors' Equity, I respectfully urge you to support increased funding for the arts through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
According to a recent report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural production contributed more than $763.6 billion to the U.S. economy – more than industries like professional sports or agriculture, transportation and warehousing. The arts employ 4.9 million workers across the country with earnings of more than $370 billion. Furthermore, the arts exported $20 billion more than imported, providing a positive trade balance.
As you probably know, the NEA also requires at least a dollar-for-dollar local match from all of its grantees. Most arts organizations do even more. That means that according to estimates, the NEA’s $153 million in federal funding actually generates $500 million in support for the arts nationwide. The NEA creates an enormous economic return on investment. Millions of people who work in hotels, restaurants, dry cleaners, retail stores and other businesses are dependent on the arts. And live theatre is a tremendous resource for local community development.
The NEA supports the arts in every Congressional District in our country. Supporting the NEA means more jobs. Americans understand that arts are vital to our country – and we’d like to see more public support, not less. According to a September 2018 Ipsos Public Affairs poll, conducted on behalf of Americans for the Arts, a huge majority views government funding for the arts favorably, approving of their local and state governments funding grants to artists and arts organizations (60 percent and 58 percent, respectively).
Increasing funding for the NEA will not only mean more jobs and a stronger, more diverse economy in cities all across our country, but a stronger national cultural fabric.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary McColl Executive Director
165 WEST 46 STREET NEW YORK NY 10036 TELEPHONE 212.869.8530 FAX 212.719.9815 WWW.ACTORSEQUITY.ORG 557 West Randolph Street Chicago IL 60661, 312.641.0393 5636 Tujunga Ave North Hollywood CA 91601, 323.978.8080 10319 Orangewood Boulevard Orlando FL 32821, 407.345.8600 ALLIANCE OF ARTISTS COMMUNITIES 144 Westminster Street, Suite 301 Providence, Rhode Island 02903 tel +1.401.351.4320 www.artistcommunities.org [email protected]
Board of Trustees
Esther Grisham Grimm, March 5, 2019 Chair 3Arts Dear Member of Congress, Mario Garcia Durham, Co-Vice Chair Association of Performing The Alliance of Artists Communities is pleased to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. As the Arts Professionals leading service organization for artist residencies, the Alliance represents a field of 500+ artist-centered Sanjit Sethi, Co-Vice Chair programs and residencies across the United States. The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design | George Washington University We are the Alliance, a collective of many different voices; we are artists, people who believe failure and
Tamara Ross, Treasurer triumph realized together reveal transformation; we are communities, places where diverse approaches Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity invite innovation and conflict but achieve a creative greater good. The Alliance believes support for the cultivation of new art and ideas is essential to human progress. Artist residency programs serve as Brad Kik, Secretary Crosshatch Center for Art & research-and-development labs for the arts, providing artists and innovators, including visual artists, Ecology writers, composers, choreographers, filmmakers, designers and others, a critical opportunity to develop
new work that educates, enlightens and entertains. Rob Bailis Cal Performances On behalf of our member organizations, that provide more than $40 million in services to over 15,000 Elizabeth Chodos artists each year, we urge you to support increased funding for our nation’s cultural agencies: the Miller ICA at Carnegie Mellon University National Endowment for the Arts; the National Endowment for the Humanities; and the Office of Museum Services. The core funding programs of these cultural agencies are critical to nurturing the growth and Ryan Dennis Project Row Houses artistic excellence of thousands of organizations and artists in every corner of the country. While the federal investment in the arts is modest, the nonprofit arts and culture sector generates nearly $30 billion Melissa Franklin The Pew Center for in government revenue annually. The arts sector stretches every public dollar to leverage additional Arts & Heritage funding, invest in jobs, and support our communities.
Mark Golden Golden Artist Colors Through such measures, artists and arts professionals are able to engage their communities in meaningful
Tony Grant dialogue, provide programs for under-represented audiences in all 50 states, support critical Sustainable Arts Foundation programming that deepens our understanding of each other and cultivate new bodies of extraordinary
Gia Hamilton creative work. With public support for the arts, we as a nation are able to affirm our status as a global Independent Curator cultural leader and build a lasting legacy for the next generation. Thank you for your consideration and for Melissa Levin your service. Art Agency, Partners
Craig Peterson Sincerely, Abrons Arts Center | Henry Street Settlement
Shey Rivera Artist Lisa Hoffman Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento The Law Office of Sergio Executive Director Muñoz Sarmiento
Geoffrey Jackson Scott Peoplmovr
Sharon Ullman Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Kibra A Yohannes AFRICA'SOUT!
Lisa Hoffman Executive Director
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress,
The American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) is pleased to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. AATE serves and inspires a growing collective of theatre artists, educators, and scholars committed to transforming young people and communities through the theatre arts.
The worth of a civilization is measured by its ability to meet the needs of its youth. We, at AATE, envision a world where every child has access to theatre; where every city has a theatre for young audiences; where every community has a youth theatre; where every school has a theatre arts curriculum. We envision a time when the full spectrum of the theatre arts becomes a pervasive part of our landscape. AATE celebrates the courage and creativity of those artists and educators who do this work even as we connect, inspire, and support them in their profession.
On behalf of our supporters, as well as the artists and educators we serve, we urge Congress to:
• Support a budget of $165 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) • Strengthen equal access to arts education, which will help children achieve in school, work, and life • Encourage charitable gifts to support community access to the arts
The proposed budget cuts against agencies that fund the arts is alarming. The Administration’s proposal calls for the elimination of funding for the NEA. The NEA has expanded access to the arts for all Americans throughout all 50 states and U.S. territories, something AATE strongly believes in.
We encourage you to support funding and policies that continue to strengthen arts education in our schools and in our communities across the nation. With your help, we can ensure the arts will impact every American.
Sincerely,
Alexis Truitt Managing Director
718 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | (202) 909-1194 | www.aate.com | [email protected]
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The American Alliance of Museums is pleased to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. We are the one organization that supports all museums, including art museums, history museums, science museums, military and maritime museums, youth museums, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, arboretums, historic sites, presidential libraries, and science and technology centers. We are proud to work in support of all these institutions and their employees by developing standards and best practices and by championing the cause of museums. The American Alliance of Museums serves as the national voice for museums, highlighting their roles as key providers of education, economic engines, and community anchors.
We respectfully request that Congress:
• Support the Recent Institute of Museum and Library Services Reauthorization – We applaud Congress for enacting legislation reauthorizing IMLS, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018, S. 3530 now Public Law No: 115-410. This legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by unanimous consent in the Senate and by a vote of 331 to 28 in the House showing Congress’ renewed bipartisan support for the agency’s programs and a renewed commitment to its funding.
• Fully Fund Office of Museum Services at IMLS – We strongly support appropriations letters to be circulated in the House and Senate requesting robust funding for the IMLS Office of Museum Services. The Alliance is requesting OMS’ fully authorized amount of $38.6 million for FY 2020. OMS has set a strong record of congressional support during the appropriations submission process in each of the last six years, with 183 Representatives and 40 Senators signing FY 2019 appropriations letters on its behalf.
• Restore Charitable Giving Incentives – Although the 2017 comprehensive tax bill maintains the tax deduction for charitable donations, it will dramatically shrink the number of Americans who are eligible to claim this deduction. We urge Congress to enact a universal charitable deduction, so that every American can deduct their donations regardless of whether they itemize their taxes. We also urge Congress to repeal the new Unrelated Business Income Tax on expenses that charities incur in providing transportation fringe benefits to employees. We support maintaining the deductibility of gifts of property, which are critical to a museum’s ability to develop its collections. We support allowing artists to deduct the fair market value of donated works, as specified in the Artist-Museum Partnership Act.
At a time when many communities are struggling to meet the needs of all their residents, museums are filling the gaps on many fronts. To learn more about museums, please visit www.aam-us.org.
Sincerely,
Laura L. Lott President and CEO
March 05, 2019
Dear Member of Congress,
As a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019, the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is calling on Congress to continue current support and funding for federal agencies and programs that promote, sustain, and support the arts and the creative arts therapies in all areas of American life. The mission of the AATA is to advocate for expansion of access to professional art therapists and lead the nation in the advancement of art therapy as a regulated mental health and human services profession. The Association works in concert with our 38 state and regional chapters to promote the highest standards of art therapy practice to the public.
Art therapy is the integrative application of psychotherapeutic principles and methods with specialized training in art media, the neurobiological implications of art-making, and art-based assessment models in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cognitive, developmental, behavioral and emotional conditions and disorders in individuals, families and groups. Art therapy includes the use of therapeutic art interventions to facilitate alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication and implementation of art-based treatment plans to help clients improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, increase self-awareness and self-esteem, cope with traumatic experience and grief, reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and attachment disorders, resolve conflicts, anger, and distress, and improve educational performance and social functioning. Congress has been instrumental in acknowledging the important role of the arts and the creative arts therapies through its support for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Serve America Act, and other federal programs; yet, much more needs to be done. The AATA urges Congress to strengthen this national arts and mental health infrastructure with the following actions: Increase funding for the NEA to $167.5 million in Fiscal Year 2020 in order to preserve citizen access to cultural and educational opportunities and advance creativity and innovation in communities across the nation. Continue to provide sufficient NEA funding for Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network to support creative arts therapists, equipment, and supplies at 11 clinical sites across the nation, as well as a telehealth program for patients in rural and remote areas. Support enactment of the “Expanding Care for Veterans Act” to direct the Veterans Administration to carry out a three-year program to assess the feasibility and advisability of integrating the delivery of selected complementary and alternative medicine services with other VA health care services for veterans. Support research funding for creative arts therapies and arts in health programs within federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. Support the Comprehensive Resources for Entrepreneurs in the Arts to Transform the Economy Act (CREATE Act) to amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish an Artist Corps that identifies and meets unmet needs within communities through artistic activities and direct the Department of Commerce to establish a demonstration program to promote the arts in the economic planning of local governments.
The AATA strongly believes that accessibility to, and active participation in, the arts and the creative arts therapies promotes physical and emotional wellbeing and enhanced qualify of life for people of all ages. We join with our partners in Americans for the Arts in urging Congress to continue its vital support for the arts and the creative arts therapies.
Sincerely,
Christianne Strang, PhD, ATR-BC, CEDCAT-S President, American Art Therapy Association
American Art Therapy Association ▪ 4875 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 240, Alexandria, VA 22304 www.arttherapy.org ▪ (888) 290-0878, (703) 548-5860 ▪ [email protected] March 5, 2019
Body of letter Dear Member of Congress: Helvetica or Arial Margins The American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is proud to continue its role as an advocate top 2.2 for the arts by being a National Partner 2019. AACT represents the interests of approximately 7,000 L & R 1.25” community theatres in the United States including U.S. Military theatres overseas. These theatres, in communities from major cities to small-town America, have a combined budget of approximately $1 billion. Community theatres are, for many cities and towns across America, the artistic centers and major economic drivers. They provide 10,000 full-time jobs and more than 25,000 jobs for guest artists; involve 1.5 million volunteers; and engage a combined audience of over 85 million theatre goers of all ages. Beyond the volunteers served, community theatre collectively is the largest employer of theatre professionals in our nation.
More than just an economic engine, however, community theatres throughout the country, probably including your home town, help stimulate the minds and creativity of all who participate. The impact of theatre programming on youth in building confidence, honing communications skills, and problem solving capabilities is well documented. These are skills much sought after by future employers in today’s rapidly changing world. Such theatre training programs for children and youth give those young people healthy, artistic activities. Children who are involved in the arts achieve higher academic status, as well as lower unemployment and crime rates. AACT also involves military personnel—former and current—with free membership for all active military service members and Wounded Warriors.
We urge you to support funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and block grants. Currently, all federal funding for community theatre comes through state block grants. That funding, though small, is important to the creation and maintenance of programs for youth, seniors, and military personnel.
To continue the vital role the arts play in our country, AACT urges Congress to: • Continue and increase the funding for the National Endowment for the Arts • Improve the visa process for foreign guest artists visiting our nation • Strengthen existing and support new programs to encourage individual and community financial support for the arts
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to our country and the arts. Please let us know how we might be of help in the future in achieving our mutual goals.
Respectfully,
Carole Ries President
1300 Gendy Street Fort Worth, TX 76107 817-732-3177 Fax: 817-732-3178 [email protected] aact.org
10632 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 108 Columbia, MD 21044-3263 www.adta.org March 5, 2019
Dear Members of Congress:
The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) is proud to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. Our professional members enrich the United States by providing opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and cultures to experience the healing benefits of movement and dance.
Dance/Movement Therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration of the individual. Dance/Movement therapists use nonverbal communication for assessment and intervention with clients. They are employed in a variety of settings, educational along with clinical healthcare settings. They provide individual and group therapy for clients with issues such as autism, PTSD, ADHD, eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, learning disabilities and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to clinical work, they are active in publishing, research, supervision, professional development training and teaching. Dance/movement therapists have extensive training and are graduates from Master’s level programs across the nation. Dance/movement therapists are either registered or board certified nationally by the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board. Many hold licenses to practice creative arts therapy, psychotherapy or counseling in their respective states.
We urge Congress to: Ensure implementation of SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (PL 115-271), improving coverage of complementary and integrative health services, such as creative arts therapies, through the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management Study. Support access to creative arts therapies interventions in behavioral health treatments and services under existing HHS Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Programs, such as the Medicare Prospective Payment Systems (PPS) and Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). Support funding for creative arts in healthcare research within the federal agencies involved with the Arts and Human Development Interagency Task Force, including the National Institutes of Health, Administration on Aging, and the Department of Education. Designate funding for demonstration projects utilizing cost effective dance/movement therapy interventions for military members and veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and other conditions. Support legislation that improves access to evidence-based complementary and integrative treatments and telehealth for veterans, including creative arts therapies. Improve access to creative arts mental health services for at-risk individuals, including children and youth, families, school personnel, and communities.
The majority of the ADTA’s membership work in the mental health field and are committed to the wellbeing of the communities they serve. We would like to ask for your support of healthcare funding directed toward early identification and mental health treatment.
Sincerely,
Margaret Migliorati, MA, LPCC, R-DMT, NCC Meghan Murphy-Sanchez, LPCC, BC-DMT, GL-CMA President, American Dance Therapy Association Government Affairs Committee Chair
American Music Therapy Association
8455 Colesville Rd., Ste. 1000 • Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 Tel. (301) 589-3300 • Fax (301) 589-5175 • www.musictherapy.org
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is proud to serve as a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. Representing over 8,000 professionally trained music therapists, AMTA is committed to the mission of advancing public awareness of music therapy benefits and increasing access to quality music therapy services. Nationally Board Certified Music Therapists work across the lifespan, serving client groups in healthcare and education settings, using carefully structured and evidence-based interventions informed by the best available research in the published literature.
Having been founded as a profession through service to Veterans of World Wars I and II, music therapy has over 70 years of clinical history in the United States.
Research demonstrates that music therapy interventions have the potential to positively impact quality of care issues and healthcare concerns of our nation’s Veterans, active military, and individuals dealing with chronic pain.
Music therapy programs serve America’s service members and their families on military installations, in military treatment facilities, in Veterans Administration healthcare facilities, and in communities.
Board certified music therapists provide opportunities for nonpharmacological management of pain and discomfort.
To improve access to cost-effective music therapy services, we urge your support of the following:
➢ Support legislation that improves access to music therapy for veterans and active military through complementary and integrative treatment programs and telehealth services.
➢ Ensure implementation of SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (PL 115-271), improving coverage of complementary and integrative health services, such as music therapy, through the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management Study.
➢ Support research funding for music therapy within federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Institute for Education Sciences within the Department of Education.
Thank you for your support of all Arts programs in America, especially those programs and services that improve the quality of healthcare for Veterans, active military, individuals dealing with chronic pain, and all persons with illnesses and disabilities.
Sincerely,
Lee Grossman, CAE Judy Simpson, MT-BC Executive Director Director of Government Relations March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
We are pleased to submit this letter to you as a National Partner of Americans for Arts Advocacy Day 2019.
We write to you on behalf of more than 200 members of the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE). AAAE represents higher education arts administration training programs from all over the world, with 85% in the U.S. Our members and alumni have dedicated their professional lives to the arts - working in institutions such as theatres, museums, orchestra halls, and community arts centers. They are also at the forefront of arts and culture research, studying funding and operating models, diversity in the arts, and how the arts can transform and uplift communities. On behalf of our members, AAAE offers the following recommendations:
1. Funding for the National Endowment of the Arts. We urge Congress to support a budget of $165 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the FY20 Interior Appropriations bill to preserve access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United States. Forty percent of NEA-funded projects take place in low income or rural areas. The NEA plays a significant role in making the arts fundable, equitable, and accessible among all Americans, not just in metropolitan areas where the arts have traditionally thrived.
2. A Favorable Environment for Higher Education: The United States’ arts administration and fine arts higher education programs attract talented individuals from all over the world. Moreover, compensation and working norms vary widely in the arts and individuals depend upon favorable tax, student loans, and visa programs to make their work possible. We hope you will continue to work with Congress to protect graduate student funding and tax benefits, public service loan forgiveness, and visa rules and requirements for artists and students.
a. Protection of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Congress enacted the PSLF program with bipartisan support in 2007, partly to create incentives for motivated and committed individuals to pursue careers in service to the public. PSLF is a vital tool in allowing talented and highly trained employees from all socioeconomic backgrounds to work at organizations that make an impact in their community.
b. Student loans should be a tool for accessing and enhancing education—without limiting career and educational options. We strongly encourage Congress to continue supporting a student-centered approach to funding higher education. Current federal financial aid policies equally support all students regardless of what they study or where they choose to obtain a higher education. Degree completion, regardless of major, is the most important factor to future success, and students should be encouraged to concentrate their studies where their interests and talents lead them.
● Cooperation and Respect in Public Discourse: The arts bring people together from every stripe of life. Individuals who work in the arts achieve nothing without compromise, mutual respect, creativity, humor, and compassion for those who are not like them. We urge you and your colleagues to embody these working norms and to insist on them from this country’s leadership.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit our thoughts to you. Sincerely,
Kevin Maifeld President of the Board, AAAE Lee Ann Adams Director, MFA in Arts Leadership & Executive Director, AAAE Interdisciplinary Arts - Arts Leadership; Professor, Performing Arts and Arts Leadership; Seattle University 123
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) is pleased to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2018. AICAD is a non-profit consortium of 41 leading art and design schools in the US and Canada. AICAD’s mission is to help strengthen its member schools individually and collectively, and to inform the public about the value of studying art and design at an AICAD school.
On behalf of our member schools, AICAD offers the following recommendations:
1. We urge Congress to support the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and ensure its appropriate implementation. This program passed with bi-partisan support in 2007. Those who made career choices to serve their communities based on this legislation deserve to receive the benefits promised.
2. We strongly urge Congress to continued to support a student-centered approach to higher education financial aid, allowing them to study and pursue the disciplines and careers where they have the most interest and talent. Students driven by passion will have the greatest positive impact on our society, continuing the United States’ position as a leader of innovation.
3. We urge Congress to promote cultural exchange programs that advance diplomatic objectives and 236 Hope Street cultural cooperation through the exchange of art and other aspects of culture among nations. This Providence, RI 02906 includes restoring access to our nation’s higher education institutions for students and scholars from all countries, facilitating the global exchange of ideas and innovation while highlighting our country’s democratic values.
4. We urge Congress to support a budget of $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts P — 401-270-5991 (NEA) in the FY 2020 Interior Appropriations bill to preserve access to the cultural, educational, and F — 401-270-5993 economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United States. W — aicad.org 5. We urge Congress to appropriate $30 million for the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) programs in the FY 2020 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. The Assistance for Arts Education programs are authorized under Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
6. We urge Congress to strengthen equitable access to arts education in a Well-Rounded Education through the following provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): ◦ Fully fund the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants under Title IV, Part A. ◦ Make explicit the opportunity for the arts to help achieve Title I objectives. ◦ Thoroughly implement the professional development opportunities for arts educators and school leaders in Title II and the expanded STEM program eligibility for the arts in Title IV, Part A. ◦ Fully fund the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
7. We urge Congress to cosponsor the CREATE Act in order to invest in the country’s workforce and creative economy; to recognize artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit arts organizations as contributors to the small business community; and support the creative economy through federal programs and actions.
We strongly believe that the future success of the United States depends upon our ability to retain our place in the world as innovators and creators. The arts and design, and arts education, are a critical component to achieving this future. Thank you for your interest and thoughtful consideration of these recommendations.
Sincerely,
Deborah Obalil President & Executive Director
Alberta University of the Arts Lesley University College of Art and Design Pacific Northwest College of Art Art Academy of Cincinnati Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts Parsons The New School for Design Art Center College of Design Maine College of Art Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts California College of the Arts Maryland Institute College of Art Pennsylvania College of Art and Design California Institute of the Arts Massachusetts College of Art and Design Pratt Institute Cleveland Institute of Art Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design Rhode Island School of Design College for Creative Studies Minneapolis College of Art and Design Ringling College of Art and Design Columbus College of Art and Design Montserrat College of Art San Francisco Art Institute The Cooper Union Moore College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Cornish College of the Arts New Hampshire Institute of Art School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University Cranbrook Academy of Art NSCAD University School of Visual Arts Emily Carr University of Art and Design OCAD University The University of the Arts Kansas City Art Institute Oregon College of Art and Craft Watkins College of Art Laguna College of Art and Design Otis College of Art and Design
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, is pleased to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. I thank you for your on-going support of the performing arts on Capitol Hill and for recognizing that the arts are crucial to building a strong economy, thriving local communities, educated and engaged citizens, and a creative and competitive American workforce.
APAP is the national service organization for the performing arts industry. APAP serves more than 5,000 professionals from more than 1,600 member organizations—the nation’s leading performing arts centers, artist agencies and management companies, and a growing roster of self-represented artists—all who make an impact on urban, suburban and rural communities across the U.S. through the performing arts. As a leader of the field, APAP works to support performing arts professionals through our annual convening (APAP|NYC) and through year-round professional development, networking, and resource sharing.
On behalf of performing arts professionals and the communities we collectively serve, we ask you to stand with us on the following issues:
Support the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The NEA’s funding programs are critical and necessary to ensuring that every community in every congressional district across the U.S. has access to the performing arts. With the modest investment from the federal government the NEA receives, the arts sector in turn is able to generate nearly $30 billion annually, amplifying the impact of every public dollar by leveraging additional funding, spurring economic activity, growing jobs, and providing services to our communities.
Improve Visa Processing for Artists from Abroad by Enacting the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) provision, requiring U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to implement reasonable processing times, as required by law, for O and P petitions filed by or for U.S. nonprofit arts organizations. This provision makes it feasible for arts organizations to engage foreign guest artists in their educational and artistic programs, bringing the arts from around the globe to our communities and promoting greater understanding of our world.
Promote Cultural Exchange through the State Department’s Office of Citizen Exchanges. The Office’s Cultural Programs Division sends U.S. artists abroad as ambassadors to share our nation’s rich artistic and cultural traditions. These cultural diplomacy efforts promote cross-cultural understanding critical to our international relations.
On behalf of the APAP membership, I thank you for your continued support and look forward to working with you in the coming year as we build stronger American communities and economies through arts and culture.
Mario Garcia Durham, President and CEO
919 18th Street NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20006 | Telephone 888.820.2787 | Fax 202.833.1543 | www.apap365.org
March 13, 2018
Dear Member of Congress:
CERF+ -- The Artists Safety Net is proud to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2018.
The lack of a safety net for professional artists working in craft disciplines when personal or natural disasters strike was the impetus in 1985 for a group of artists to create CERF+. From a modest, grass roots mutual aid organization, CERF+ has emerged as one of the leading voices for safeguarding artists’ livelihoods to ensure that they have the resources and protections they need to sustain their careers before, during, and after disasters.
Artists are not only vulnerable to disasters; they often contribute significantly to recovery in their communities after disasters. With 33 years of service and more than 8,000 supporters across the country, we are dedicated to a future in which artists are able to thrive and contribute in communities across the United States.
As a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day, CERF+ is pleased to join with many national arts, humanities, and civic organizations in urging Congress to support legislation that promotes the arts and values artists’ contributions to our society. On behalf of our supporters and those we serve, we encourage you to strengthen federal support for the arts, especially in the following ways:
Cosponsor the CREATE Act in order to invest in the country’s workforce and creative economy; to recognize artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit arts organizations as contributors to the small business community; and support the creative economy through federal programs and actions. Maintain access to affordable healthcare for artists and other self-employed workers; Ensure that artists and other self-employed workers are not at a disadvantage to other small businesses when accessing federal aid, especially after disasters and in emergency recovery; Continue bipartisan support with a budget of $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the FY 2019 Interior Appropriations bill in order to preserve access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United States; Preserve incentives for charitable giving by protecting the full scope and value of the tax deduction for all forms of charitable gifts; Ensure that changes made under tax reform will encourage more giving by more Americans.
We thank you for valuing the creative work of America’s artists and cultural organizations and the contributions they make to our lives. Thank you for your work.
Sincerely,
Cornelia Carey Executive Director
535 Stone Cutters Drive, Ste 202 Montpelier, VT 05602 Ph: (802) 229-2306 Fax: (802) 223-6484 cerfplus.org
March 5, 2019
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dear Member of Congress,
OFFICERS Richard Kessler, Chair Chamber Music America (CMA), the national network of chamber music professionals, is Billy Childs, President delighted to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2016. CMA serves a diverse Darrell Grant, Vice President Mimi Hwang, Vice President membership of more than 6,000 musicians, ensembles, concert presenters, festivals,
David Skidmore, Secretary composers, training institutions, managers, music businesses, and enthusiasts who create, Caroline Marshall, Treasurer perform, and present numerous styles of small-ensemble music, from Western Margaret M. Lioi, CEO classical/contemporary to jazz, world music, and beyond. Chamber musicians reach Martha Bonta almost seven million Americans through traditional concerts, residencies in schools and Armando Castellano community centers, and free public performances each year. Etienne Charles Aaron Dworkin Aloysia Friedmann Chamber Music America advocates for this national, artist-centered community by Jennifer Grim offering direct financial support through our grant programs, providing ongoing career- Sean Jones development services, and connecting all corners of the field through conferences and Lei Liang convenings. Chamber musicians belong, in large part, to the nation’s freelance workforce Jessie Montgomery Karim Nagi and like other self-employed workers, are faced with such concerns as sporadic earnings James E. Rocco from seasonal or project-specific employment. Concert presenters face challenges as well; Michele Rosewoman like many other small businesses, they have few available lines of credit and are coping Wendy Sharp Lucy Shelton with the continuing volatility of the global economy. Christopher Shih Nadia Sirota On behalf of the national chamber music field, Chamber Music America respectfully Kathie Stewart urges Congress to: Ruth Waalkes Lecolion Washington Richard Weinert v Support a budget of $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts Stephen Wogaman (NEA) in the FY2020 Interior Appropriations bill to preserve citizen access to the John Zion cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United States. NATIONAL COUNCIL Robert W. Ashton v Take steps, in cooperation with the Administration, to make immediate Richard J. Bogomolny improvements at USCIS and at the State Department so that artist visa William Bolcom Leon Botstein processing will be accessible, reliable, and efficient.
Heidi Castleman v Support research funding for creative arts therapies and arts in health George Crumb Ronald Crutcher programs within federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Paquito D’Rivera and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Constance Emmerich within the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Institute for Richard Goode Bonnie Hampton Education Sciences within the Department of Education. Michael Jaffee Gilbert Kalish Chamber Music America encourages you to support policies and legislation that will Paul Katz Benita Valente benefit the thousands of chamber music professionals whose work impacts the cultural Anthony Viscusi landscape of America.
Cordially,
Margaret M. Lioi Chief Executive Officer
12 West 32nd Street, 7th Floor • New York, NY 10001-3813 (212) 242-2022 phone • (212) 967-9747 fax www.chamber-music.org
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
Chorus America is a proud National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. Our organization represents more than 5,000 choruses, choral leaders, businesses, and other organizations throughout North America and beyond. We also represent the 42.6 million Americans who our research has shown sing regularly in a chorus—including children, adults and seniors who benefit from their participation and contribute to the health and vibrancy of their communities.
Our research has found that choral singers are significantly more likely than other Americans to vote regularly; contribute money to philanthropic causes, political parties or candidates; volunteer their time to charities; and serve as officers of civic organizations. This civic leadership demonstrates the powerful role choruses play in building community. Singing together brings people together.
On behalf of the diverse and civically-engaged choral field, Chorus America urges you to:
• Continue bi-partisan support for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with a budget of $167.5 million in the FY 2020 Interior Appropriations bill. This federal investment ensures that all Americans have access to the arts, no matter where they live. Every congressional district benefits from an NEA grant, and NEA funds have encouraged the growth of arts activity in areas of the nation that have been underserved, especially in rural and inner-city communities. • Support research funding for creative arts therapies and arts in health programs within federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. Such research is key to helping us understand the arts' role in improving health and educational outcomes throughout the human lifespan. • Strengthen equitable access to arts education through full funding and implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which includes music and the arts as subjects necessary for a Well-Rounded Education. Arts education equips students with critical skills that give them a competitive edge as they prepare to become our nation’s leaders of tomorrow.
Chorus America encourages your support for policies and funding that strengthen all the arts and the communities that, together, we serve.
Sincerely,
Catherine Dehoney President & CEO
1200 18th Street NW, Ste. 1250, Washington, DC 20036 | 202.331.7577 | www.chorusamerica.org March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The College of Fellows of the American Theatre encourages the highest standards of research, writing, and creativity in educational and professional theatre through honoring distinguished service and notable accomplishment by individuals of recognized national Dean stature. We are proud to serve as a National Partner Dan Carter (20) with Americans for the Arts on Arts Advocacy Day, PO Box 157 2019. As such, we urge you to support Federal funding Sylva, NC 28788 for the arts and, specifically, an increase in funding for Deans Emereti the National Endowment for the Arts and the National F. Loren Winship Endowment for the Humanities. We further urge you to increase funding for the important Arts in Education Monroe Lippman programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education. Charlotte K. Motter Burnet M. Hobgood The not-for-profit arts industry is an economic engine that Ann Stahlman Hill supports jobs across America. Federal funding for the arts Paul A. Distler through the NEA and other programs provides an essential William R. McGraw foundation for individual artists and organizations at the local, Jed H. Davis grassroots level and serves as a critical investment in the Jean P. Korf economic growth of communities throughout the country. Arts funding enhances communities through grants for arts Orlin Corey education and improved access to the arts for all Americans, Don B. Wilmeth especially those in underserved communities. It also serves Carole Brandt as an important means of empowering the arts to honor our Jerry L. Crawford unique heritage by linking the past with the present and the Oscar G. Brockett future in a way that only the arts can. Gresdna A. Doty Gil Lazier On behalf of all our Fellows I thank you for your service to Scott J. Parker our country and offer thanks and appreciation for your past support of the arts. We encourage you to support increased Milly S. Barranger funding for the NEA and NEH and the U.S. Department of Felicia Hardison Londré Education Arts in Education program. Robert A. Schanke Karen Berman Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. Jim Volz, Corporate Secretary William J. Doan, Treasurer Sincerely, Kim Marra, Secretary Dan Carter, Gazette Editor
Board of Directors Dan Carter, Dean (20) Karen Berman, Immediate Past Dean Kim Marra, Secretary (20) Dan Carter, Dean Cheryl Black (19) Gail Humphries Mardirosian, Advocacy Chair David Leong (19) The College of Fellows of the American Theatre Gail Humphries Mardirosian (20) Harry Elam (20) www.thecollegeoffellows.org
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
As the national service organization for professional dance and a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019, Danced/USA urges you to support federal policy that will strengthen the arts in America.
Founded in 1982, Dance/USA’s membership represents the breadth and diversity of this brilliant art form, including over 500 aerial, ballet, modern, culturally specific, jazz, and tap companies, dance service and presenting organizations, individuals, and related organizations. Dance/USA sustains and advances professional dance by addressing the needs, concerns, and interests of organizations, administrators, and artists.
On behalf of Dance/USA’s membership and those who service the field, we encourage you to strengthen federal support for the arts in the following ways:
Continue bi-partisan support with a budget of $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the FY 2020 Interior Appropriations bill in order to preserve access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the U.S.; Restore and expand the full scope and value of charitable giving by enacting a universal charitable deduction available to all taxpayers, ensure that further tax policy changes encourage more giving by more Americans, and strengthen the capacity of the arts sector to support communities and contribute to the economy; Repeal the unrelated business income tax on that taxes nonprofits on expenses to fringe benefits for employees; Fully support the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) programs in the FY 2020 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, authorized under Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA); Strengthen equitable access to arts education through the Well-Rounded Education provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA); Appropriate $115 million to the Office of Citizen Exchanges within the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs within the FY 2020 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill; Re-introduce and enact the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) provision, which will require U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reduce the total processing time for petitions filed by, or on behalf of, nonprofit arts-related organizations and make the processing of artist visas more accessible, reliable and efficient; Urge the FCC to offer interference protection to performing arts entities and to restore access to a reliable geo-location database and preserve nonprofit performing arts, education, and media organizations’ financial investments in technical equipment; Overturn the FCC’s “Restoring Internet Freedom” Order and restore net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a Title II telecommunications service.
We encourage you to support funding and policies that continue to strengthen dance and the performing arts in communities across the nation.
Sincerely,
Amy Fitterer Brandon Gryde Executive Director Director of Government Affairs
DEPARTMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is proud to serve as a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019. DPE is a coalition of 24 national unions representing more than four million professional and technical employees.
Included in DPE are unions representing professionals working in the arts, entertainment, and media industries. These unions’ members are actors, broadcast journalists, craftspeople, creators, choreographers, directors, musicians, performers, instrumentalists, writers, singers, stage managers, stagehands, and many other professions.
DPE urges Congress to fully fund the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The NEA, NEH, and CPB serve as vital economic catalysts. The nonprofit arts community supports over four million jobs in the arts and related industries, including jobs for many members of DPE’s affiliate unions.
Private money cannot fully replace lost funding from the NEA, NEH, or CPB. Absent full arts funding, DPE anticipates the loss of good middle-class jobs in smaller, more rural communities, such as places that rely on NEA grants to support regional theater productions and CPB funding for the upkeep of satellite transmission equipment.
DPE also urges Congress to protect and promote the intellectual property rights of creative professionals. Members of DPE affiliate unions in the arts and entertainment industry imagine, develop, design, and give life to creative works that are responsible for over $1 trillion in annual economic activity. These professionals depend on copyright laws to earn fair wages and benefits.
Recognizing the positive cultural and economic return for our country, DPE urges you to support funding and policies that advance the arts and arts professionals.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Dorning President
815 16th Street, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 (202) 638-0320 www.dpeaflcio.org 2343 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 Phone: 513.421.3900 • Fax: 513.421.7077 Website: schooltheatre.org
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The Educational Theatre Association is proud to be a national partner of the Arts Advocacy Day 2019. Today we advocate for the arts, and ask members of Congress to consider the value of arts education. EdTA, the professional organization for theatre education, works to ensure that theatre arts is an essential part of every student’s well-rounded education.
Founded in 1929, EdTA is the home of the International Thespian Society, an honorary organization with more than 4,700 schools and more than 125,000 members. The organization has inducted more than 2.3 million theatre students since its founding. EdTA promotes theatre as a well-rounded subject area that helps prepare students to make successful life and career choices. We support sequential, standards-based theatre education taught by trained and certified professionals.
We ask you to support the following actions as described in the issue briefs that follow in this handbook: • Appropriate $167.5 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. • Appropriate $30 million for the Assistance for Arts Education programs authorized under Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). • Strengthen equitable access to arts education through implementation of the following well-rounded provisions of ESSA: o Fully fund ($1.6 billion) the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants under Title IV, Part A. o Make explicit the opportunity for the arts to help achieve Title I objectives. o Implement the professional development opportunities for arts educators and school leaders in Title II and the expanded STEM program eligibility for the arts in Title IV, Part A. o Fully fund ($1.6 billion) the 21st Century Learning Centers after-school program. o Provide at least $4 million to the Institute of Education Sciences for the administration of the Fast Response Survey in Art Education study. • Improve the Department of Education’s data collection efforts by systemically strengthening preK-12 arts education in the School and Staffing Survey, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), and other data instruments that fully assess the condition of arts education in dance, media, arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. • Support the evaluation of arts educators based on student achievement in their respective subject areas and multiple measures of student progress to assess learning in the arts, including performance and portfolio-based measurements. • Require all states accountability plans to annually document and publically report the status and condition of arts education. • Urge the FCC to restore access to a reliable geo-location database and preserve non-profit performing arts, education, and media organization’s financial investment in technical equipment.
Thank you for supporting arts education and your thoughtful consideration of these issues.
Sincerely,
Julie Theobald James Palmarini
Home of the International Thespian Society, Dramatics magazine, and Teaching Theatre journal
March 5, 2019
Dear Member of Congress,
Folk Alliance International, the world’s largest folk music member service organization and annual industry convention, is honored to be a National Partner of Arts Advocacy Day 2019.
Our 30-year-old arts service organization represents countless American folk music genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Cajun, Creole, Indigenous, Latin, Global Roots, Old-Time, and singer-songwriters. We preserve, promote and present folk music through Education, Networking, Advocacy, and Field, Consumer, and Professional Development.
Our Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include Bob Dylan, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte, Elizabeth Cotton, and Ralph Stanley as well as the American Folklife Center, The Highlander Center, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and the National Council for Traditional Arts.
On behalf of all our US-based artists, agents, managers, labels, venues, festivals, and the millions of Americans who make up our audiences as fans of folk music, we urge you to ensure the following:
Full funding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) whose grants support a thriving cultural sector,
Enact the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) provision requiring U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to implement reasonable processing times, as required by law, for O and P visa petitions filed by or for U.S. nonprofit arts organizations.
Support for the CREATE Act (sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall) providing Comprehensive Resources for Entrepreneurs in the Arts to Transform the Economy.
Preservation of incentives for charitable giving, and a unified charitable sector that does not favor certain charities over others.
Each of the above, and additional items proposed by our esteemed National Partners are more than simply fiscal and legislative commitments, they are a major value statement that you wish to preserve and promote a robust creative sector and citizen access to the cultural and educational opportunities that advance creativity and innovation in across the nation.
Sincerely,
Aengus Finnan Executive Director 601 Avenida Cesar E. Chavez, Suite 100, Kansas City MO 64108 TEL: 816-221-FOLK (3655) • [email protected] • www.folk.org Folk Alliance International is a registered 501(c)3 ~ (#56-1698333)