AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS SETS THE STAGE FOR NATIONAL ARTS LEADERS TO ADVOCATE FOR ARTS EDUCATION AT CAPITOL HILL

Americans for the Arts(AFTA) convened national arts leaders from 10 states on July 8 and 9 for its highly anticipated second Legislative Fly-In of 2024. Hailing from Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin, arts advocates united to collectively advocate for Arts Education andlegislation addressing predatory ticket sales.

This Fly-In built on the successes of previous Fly-In events, which focused on funding for the arts, specifically for the National Endowment for the Arts , the National Endowment for the Humanities ,and Community Based Arts Programming through the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This cohort of advocates participated in a comprehensive day of training conducted by Americans for the Arts and its Arts Action Fund, delving deep into the pertinent topics concerning their respective states. The following day, they met with their state's representatives of Congress in the Senate and the House to discuss and advocate for:

• Arts Education fundingthrough increasing yearly appropriations in Titles I, II, and IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Assistance for Arts Education grant program
• Arts Education legislationsuch as the Arts Education for All Act, Reimagining Inclusive Arts Education Act, and the STEAM Education Act
• The Fans First Act,legislation to address flaws in the current live event ticketing system resulting in inflated prices.
• The Charitable Act, a bill that will reinstate the non-itemizer deduction for individual taxpayers
• Community Arts Engagement fundingthrough the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs for active-duty servicemen and women as well as veterans

"In our dedication to fostering advocacy and amplifying voices for change, we are proud to have hosted 11 arts advocates from across the nation. We aim to empower these individuals through tailored advocacy training, empowering them to effectively convey the importance of arts education and advocate for relevant legislation with their Congressional representatives," said Suzy Delvalle and Jamie Bennett, interim co-CEOs of Americans for the Arts. "We acknowledge the profound and transformative impact of arts education on individuals and communities. As proud supporters of the Fix the Tix Coalition, we are unwavering in our commitment to combat predatory ticket sales and promote positive change in the arts and culture sector."

The Legislative Fly-In participants were:

Donna Russell: Executive Director, Alabama Arts Alliance
Adriane Jefferson : Director of Arts, Culture and Tourism at City of New Haven
Brett Thompson: Executive Director, Connecticut Arts Alliance
Susannah Johannsen: Executive Director, Louisiana Division of the Arts
Kahra Buss: Executive Director, Perkins Center for the Arts
Adam Perle: President & CEO, Art Pride NJ
Morgan Kasprowicz: Director of Research and Cultural Policy, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Emily Smith: Vice President, Virginians for the Arts
Lindsay Benacka: Director, Arts and Cultural Services, City of Wichita
Anne Katz: Executive Director, CREATE Wisconsin
Ann Wicks: Communications Director, New England Foundation for the Arts

The Arts Action Fund Artist in Residence, Carrie Tillis,joined AFTA for this July Legislative Fly-In by creating "Why the Arts Matter" artwork that depicts the importance of the arts in each state and emphasizes data-driven messaging. She accompanied state arts advocates from Alabama, Kansas, and Connecticut to their meetings and presented the artwork to a member of Congress in each of these three states.

Americans for the Arts' next Legislative Fly-In is scheduled for December and will focus on FY25 Appropriations.

For more information, please follow us at @Americans4Arts .

Established in 1960,Americans for the Arts (AFTA) is the nation's leading nonprofit organization advocating for the arts at the federal level in the United States. AFTA iscommitted to representing and serving local communities while fostering equitable access to and appreciation for all forms of art.

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