posted
Today is National Arts Advocacy Day! Hundreds of arts workers, supporters, and participants from across the nation are meeting with their federal legislators on Capitol Hill as a part of this annual event hosted by Americans for the Arts.
If you could not make the trip to Washington, D.C. this year, you can still support your sector by taking a minute to see which federal arts issues resonate with you and to commit to a time to contact your members of Congress about them.
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) The President has requested $128.4 million as the FY 2009 appropriation for the NEA. It is currently funded at $144.7 million. Urge your members of Congress to support a FY 2009 budget of $176 million. This will restore the agency to its 1992 level of funding.
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) The President has requested a flat level of funding for the agency in FY 2009. The NEH is currently funded at $144.7 million. Urge your members of Congress to support a FY 2009 budget of $177 million. The NEH was funded at $177.5 million in FY 1994.
Funding the Office of Museum Services (OMS) through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) The Office of Museum Services awards grants to all types of museums including art, history, science, children?s, specialized institutions, and living collections such as zoos and aquariums. Urge your members of Congress to support a $15 million increase for grants to museums in the IMLS budget. The OMS is currently funded at $31.7 million.
Arts Education Funding and Research For the eighth consecutive year, the President has eliminated funding for Arts in Education programs in his budget proposal. Due to the support of Congress, arts funding is currently at $37.5 million. Urge you members of Congress to support an FY 2009 appropriation of $53 million for Arts in Education programs. Also, urge them to require the U.S. Department of Education to produce reports on the status of arts education in America's public schools.
No Child Left Behind Urge your members of Congress to include the following provisions when reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB): *Retain the arts in the definition of core academic subjects of learning *Reauthorize the Arts in Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education *Improve national data collection and research in arts education *Require states to annually report on student access to all core academic subjects Also, urge them to conduct dedicated hearings on arts education related to reauthorization of NCLB.
Encouraging Charitable Gifts to Arts and Culture Since its enactment in 2006, the IRA Rollover provision, which allows individuals to roll funds from their Individual Retirement Accounts to charity, has generated millions of dollars in new gifts to all forms of charities. Urge your member of Congress to reinstate the IRA Charitable Rollover provision.
Artists' Fair-Market Value Tax Deduction Urge your members of Congress to support the right for artists to take fair-market value tax deductions for original works that they donate to nonprofit organizations by Cosponsoring the Artist-Museum Partnership Act. For Senators the bill to Cosponsor is S. 548 and for House Representatives it is H.R. 1524.
Improving the Visa Process for Guest Artists Delays in gaining visa approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes it difficult for nonprofit arts organizations to schedule international artists for U.S. appearances. Urge your members of Congress to enact the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Act (H.R. 1312) to reduce the total processing times for visiting artists' visas to a maximum of 45 days.
Cultural Exchanges Exchanges in the arts build bridges among people of different countries, cultures, and faiths. The Department of State?s Cultural Program Division is currently funded at $11 million. Urge your members of Congress to increase funding by $10 million for the Professional Exchanges and Cultural Grant Program and the Performing Arts Initiative.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting The President's budget proposes a rescission of $200 million from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2009, a rescission of $220 million from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2010, and declines to request advance funding for FY 2011. Urge your members of Congress to support appropriations of no less than $483 million in advance funding (FY 2011) for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and to reject any rescissions.
Federal Communications Commission The FCC is considering authorizing millions of electronic devises such as PDAs and cordless phones to operate on the same radio frequencies as wireless microphones. This jeopardizes the ability for wireless microphones to offer audiences interference-free, high-quality performances. Urge your members of Congress to instruct the FCC Chairman to preserve the ability of wireless microphones used in performing arts venues to operate without interference. Also, urge them to support legislation that would ensure adequate testing before permitting new devises and oppose legislation (S.234, S. 337, and H.R. 1597) that would allow unlicensed devises to threaten wireless microphone use.
Detailed information on these issues can be found on the Americans for the Arts website at http://ga1.org/ct/rp2TJzE1pzae/aftaissues. --------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Copyright 2008 - All posts remain the property of the individual authors. The Philadelphia Dance Web Forums and PhiladelphiaDANCE.org are funded by Music & Motion Dance, a 501 c 3 non-profit, youth performance oriented dance company.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic
