Advocate

Thank you to the many people who have been blog contributors to, and readers of ArtsBlog over the years. ArtsBlog has long been a space where we uplifted stories from the field that demonstrated how the arts strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically; where trends and issues and controversies were called out; and advocacy tools were provided to help you make the case for more arts funding and favorable arts policies.

As part of Americans for the Arts’ recent Strategic Realignment Process, we were asked to evaluate our storytelling communications platforms and evolve the way we share content. As a result, we launched the Designing Our Destiny portal to explore new ways of telling stories and sharing information, one that is consistent with our longtime practice of, “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

As we put our energy into developing this platform and reevaluate our communications strategies, we have put ArtsBlog on hold. That is, you can read past blog posts, but we are not posting new ones. You can look to the Designing Our Destiny portal and our news items feed on the Americans for the Arts website for stories you would have seen in ArtsBlog in the past.

ArtsBlog will remain online through this year as we determine the best way to archive this valuable resource and the knowledge you’ve shared here.

As ever, we are grateful for your participation in ArtsBlog and thank you for your work in advancing the arts. It is important, and you are important for doing it.

Advocate

Advocate Page 4-Tab

Here are the top legislative issues affecting the arts. Read about each and then take action to support their positive outcome.

Arts Education Policy and Funding
Improving Access to Arts Education for All Students

Charitable Giving & Tax Reform
Encouraging Charitable Gifts and Tax Provisions to Support Community Access to the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts
Promoting Creativity and Public Access to the Arts

Artists, Entrepreneurs, and the Creative Economy
The CREATE Act and investing in the nation's workforce and creative economy

Veterans and Military Service Members
Healing Trauma Through Community Arts Engagement

Visit the Legislative Issue Center to learn about other legislation impacting the arts.

Want to advocate for the arts but don't know where to start?

Looking for ways to take action right now? Check out these resources:

Arts Action Fund - Join over 400,00 other citizen activists to advance the arts at the federal, state and local levels.

Federal Arts Advocacy Captains - Learn about Federal Arts Advocacy Captains and find out who the captain is for your state

House and Senate Cultural Caucuses - Find out which members of Congress have committed to support the arts with their membership on the House and Senate Cultural Caucuses

The Latest News
November 3, 2023
Americans for the Arts News, Legislative News

On November 3, two attempts to eliminate federal funding for the arts and humanities in the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior Appropriations were both soundly defeated!

Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA-10) sponsored two floor amendments:

August 3, 2023
Legislative News

The amazing Congressional outreach efforts by arts advocates last helped produce the following in the FY’24 Senate Appropriations bills passed in the full committee mark-up last week:

A glass jar is on it's side on a table. Coins are spilling out of it and are laying in front of it.
July 18, 2023
Legislative News

Charitable giving is crucial to maintaining the health of arts throughout our country. Key findings from the 2023 Giving USA Report, released last month, showed that an estimated $499.33 billion was given to charities in 2022. This represents a decrease of 10.5%, when adjusted for inflation, from 2021 giving levels.

June 21, 2023
Legislative News

On Tuesday, May 16th, Congresswoman Ann Kuster (D-NH-02) introduced the Early STEAM Achievement Act (H.R. 3374) which aims to strengthen STEAM education for children ages eight and under. The legislation would establish a competitive grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services to support early childhood STEAM programs and provide professional development in STEAM education for teachers. Americans for the Arts and Americans for the Arts Action Fund endorse this legislation and will continue working with arts advocates to build support among members of Congress.