Arts Matter. Let your voice be heard today and again on March 28.
Over the past thirty years, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has become an agent of social change. Now, the NEA is facing budget cuts that threaten to stifle the voices of artists and organizations that rely on it to present innovative, controversial, and challenging work in our communities.
As artists, educators, patrons, and administrators, the news is scary. It’s time, today, to start conversations with your family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and legislators about why the arts are important. Yes, your legislators!
Now more than ever is the time to tell your story and make your case again and again at the federal, state and local level that the arts matter! Here are two ways to get involved right away.
1. GET INVOLVED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
Contact your elected representatives in Congress: The Americans for the Arts Action Fund has ways for you to reach out to your US Representative and Senator and ask them to reject the misguided proposal to eliminate the NEA. Ask them to #SAVEtheNEA!
Keep informed: Find tools, resources, and information to help make your case for the arts with the Americans for the Arts Mobilization Center.
2. TURN YOUR CONCERN INTO ACTION ON THE LOCAL LEVEL by attending Arts Matter Advocacy Day on March 28 at the Massachusetts State House.
Our friends at MassCreative have put together a list of resources and ideas for telling our local leaders and fellow artists that Arts Matter. Now, more than ever, the arts community in Greater Boston can benefit from your taking action. So join us on March 28!
Visit or call your legislators: MassCreative is setting up meetings with local legislators. Email them for contact information and updates. Face to face meetings—and phone calls—give us opportunities to share with local government leaders what issues we truly care about and why they should, too.
RSVP: Attend or volunteer at the arts advocacy day of programming at the Paramount Center
Spread the word on social: Share why arts matter to you on social media with #AMAD17 or #SavetheNEA (tag Now + There on Twitter or Instagram and we’ll repost you!)
All year round: Make art. Support artists. Show up to the performances and exhibitions that inspire you.
What other ways are you advocating for the arts, on March 28 and beyond. Share in the comments!