Earlier this summer the Americans for the Arts Action Fund launched ArtsVote2008, our effort to bring the arts to the forefront of the ‘08 campaigns. We’ve assembled staff and grassroots volunteers and are establishing a significant presence on the ground in New Hampshire–the first primary state. Thanks to the efforts of these dedicated arts advocates, we have already seen results on the campaign trail:
- Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), just last month, announced his national education plan, which included a ground-breaking $250-$500 million proposal to invest in arts education in schools
- Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) herself contacted our New Hampshire ArtsVote leadership to highlight her record of support for the arts and said that she considers the arts a necessity, not a luxury
- Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (Rep.), himself a musician, has been outspoken in his support for arts education on the campaign trail enthusiastically calling arts education a “Weapon of Mass Instruction”
- Former Senator John Edwards answered a question from a University of New Hampshire student about how he would address the lack of funding for the arts in education during the MTV/MySpace debates on Thursday. He responded by saying, We have a responsibility to promote arts education not only at the college level, but at a much, much younger level: first, second, third grade. He also suggested that federal funding from Congress was the answer. “The president of the United States can go to the Congress and ask for specific marked funding for the things that we’ve been talking about. Whether it’s diversity in our academics or whether it’s the arts. Because I believe so strongly in the importance of the arts, I will ensure that we, at a national level, are providing incentives and funding to help promote the arts both at public schools and at colleges and universities.
As the presidential election ramps up, the Arts Action Fund will be updating our members and the media with the latest candidate information. But right now, in the early stages of this race, every candidate is a potential ally. With just a few weeks left before the first presidential primary ArtsVote is hosting the first ever Presidential Arts Policy Forum at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH. Candidate surrogates and prominent figures, including representatives from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Miss New Hampshire Rachel Barker, will speak about the importance of the arts in the 2008 presidential race. The event is free and open to all New Hampshire voters who support the arts. For more information, you can visit www.artsvote.org. This event will play a key role in ensuring we put a friend of the arts in the White House next year!
Tagged with: Advocacy
November 29th, 2007 at 03:41pm
nshoop
Americans for the Arts has several peer-elected Councils. These Councils advise and assist Americans for the Arts in developing programs and resources to promote the growth and development of arts professionals networks nationwide. Four Councils are having elections for new seats and their candidates represent considerable professional expertise, leadership potential, and advanced practice. Their terms will start in January 2008.
Make your voice heard. Vote for your peers who you feel will best lead in service to the field. Only members of Americans for the Arts can serve on these Councils and only members can vote in these elections (you will need your ID# to access online ballots). You may only vote once for each Council. The online voting booths will close at the close of business on Friday, November 30, 2007.
Tagged with: LeadershipMembershipVolunteerism
November 29th, 2007 at 12:11pm
Rebecca Borden
Well, a dozen of us gave new meaning to term “ArtVenture” at an Americans for the Arts conference. A group of emerging leaders headed out for our dine-around only to get struck in Miami’s MetroMover elevator for 25-minutes. Of course, we began by denying our situation. Let’s press more buttons! Something will kick this box into gear! The only thing that rose was the temperature and, in some instances, panic levels. But, magic also appeared. We made the most of the situation. Here are the top ten reasons to get stuck in an elevator with emerging arts leaders.
- It’s a great icebreaker before your dine-around.
- Being surrounded by creative people in tight spaces can be a whole lot of fun.
- Talk about a bonding moment!
- Emerging leaders can turn crisis moments into laugher moments in a snap.
- You can ask your boss for a raise and post it online (ahem, Marialaura Leslie).
- Stepping through elevator doors pried open emergency personnel gives a whole new meaning of emerging to an emerging leader.
- You know there’s going to be an ice cold mojito at the other end.
- You discover things you never knew about your peers, like how one prides herself on being agile enough to climb through the elevator access panel in the ceiling and another one prides herself on being the rock at the base of the human pyramid.
- You can practice your elevator speech.
- Don’t believe us? Watch our video.
Tagged with: EventsLeadershipMarketingpodcast
November 6th, 2007 at 05:10pm
Rebecca Borden
Spray Chalk cans can be found at kuzsports.com. Contact me for tips on how to avoid upsetting grounds crew, facility maintenance, and how to address other potential “fires” from this great idea.
November 5th, 2007 at 09:29am
Silagh White
Web 2.0 sounds great, but…could this be a whole new culture to many? To encourage the online conversations to have some meaningful context, and buy in from techno-phobes / hostiles (a.k.a. arts professionals who fear the world outside their discipline) they must be fully equipped to participate in not only WHAT is being said, but HOW the conversation is happening. We will need to train potential digital technology users with a lot of side-by-side show me sessions.
Tagged with: Arts-EducationLeadershipMarketingPartnershipspodcast
November 5th, 2007 at 09:29am
Silagh White
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