Thursday, January 08, 2009
Funding for the Arts - What More You Can Do
Dear Artists and Supporters of Art,
If you've signed the Split This Rock petition asking that 1% of the stimulus package support the arts, thank you! If you haven't yet, please go here to sign it:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html
With your support we now have more than 3,000 signatures! Thanks to the Institute for Policy Studies' work on the Hill, the proposal has won support from representative John Conyers and from the progressive caucus who have passed the proposal to Nancy Pelosi. The Obama transition team has also shown some interest.
While this is great progress, it is also true that the halls of Congress are teeming with lobbyists, with many competing interests asking to be included in the stimulus package. So we have to be sure that Congress also hears from artists, writers, and arts supporters. It's time to make some noise!
The House aims to have a draft of their stimulus package by the end of January. What this means is we have about three weeks to make an impact. Here are several things you can do to help ensure the arts aren't left behind:
1. Share the petition with friends and ask them to sign in support: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html
(Feel free to cut and paste the sample letter below.)
2. Email or call your legislators--US representatives and US senators--to ask that 1% of the stimulus package support the arts. (Cut and paste the sample letter below, if you like.) Find contact information here: www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
3. Contact the Obama transition team to express your support for the 1% for the arts petition. Submit your ideas to at http://www.change.gov/.
4. Be creative! Use your artistic medium to raise awareness about the campaign. Writers--write! Drummers? Drum! Hand out fliers at your next public event. Or organize an arts event in your community to draw attention to this campaign.
5. Post information about the campaign on your blog, or write a letter to the editor to raise awareness about this campaign.
6. Join our Facebook cause--"one percent for the arts campaign: a stimulus plan for the arts" and use the site as an opportunity to network and link up with other arts advocates in your community.http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=47790950247&ref=nf
Please share any blogs or events with us at info@splitthisrock.org, and we will post links on our website.
SAMPLE LETTER TO FRIENDS
Dear Friends,
As you know, Congress is gearing up to pass a $800 billion stimulus package with the goal of creating jobs and stimulating the economy. I am writing to ask that you join Split This Rock's and the Institute for Policy Studies' campaign, calling for 1% of the stimulus package be used to support the arts.
The arts are an integral part of our economy and a vital part of our culture and heritage. Unfortunately, arts programs are often the first to be cut in times of crisis, and many programs have already been cut in our public schools and communities.
Much of the art, music, writing, and theater we appreciate today came from Works Progress Administration funding in the 1930s. WPA funding created thousands of jobs for artists, writers, musicians, theater workers, and performers. Our generation deserves no less.
Sign our petition today, and please share this appeal with friends: www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html
Thanks,
Dear Honorable Representative,
I am writing in support of the Split This Rock and Institute for Policy Studies call that 1% of the stimulus package be used support the arts.
The arts are an integral part of our economy and a vital part of our culture and heritage. Unfortunately, arts programs are often the first to be cut in times of crisis, and many programs have already been cut in our public schools and communities.
Much of the art, music, writing, and theater we appreciate today came from Works Progress Administration funding in the 1930s. WPA funding created thousands of jobs for artists, writers, musicians, theater workers, and performers. Our generation deserves no less. I've joined thousands of artists and arts supporters in signing a petition. To read more, please visit: www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html
Sincerely,
