Help Send Georgian Arts Advocates to DC!

Once again, federal funding for the arts is under threat of being eliminated!  In response, Georgians for the Arts will join the voices of hundreds gathered from across the country to remind Congress of how important art and artists are to our economy, to our communities, and to our very way of life.

If you are an artist, an arts or cultural-related organization, or you are simply an arts supporter, AND you enjoy having robust, diverse, and sustainable arts and culture activities in the State of Georgia, read on . . .  

From March 30-31, the country’s powerful advocacy organization, Americans for the Arts, will host their annual National Arts Action Summit in Washington, D.C., and Georgians for the Arts will be there.



HERE’S THE SHORT OF IT.

As you can imagine, traveling to our Federal Capitol for this event is expensive and is generally inaccessible to most artists and small-to-midsize arts organizations lack the necessary funds. And, this is a single arts advocacy activity! 

Can YOU help and make arts and culture advocacy happen all year round? 

We’re standing up for you--artists, audiences, collectors, students, teachers, and administrators--so we’re asking for your help to cover costs.

At the National Arts Action Summit, we’ll:

-- Attend a full day of advocacy training
-- Spend a day walking the halls of Congress
-- Meet our 14 Congressional Representative and 2 Senators face-to-face
-- Deliver our full-throated message that Arts Matter

Your support is needed for travel, lodging, registration fees, and local travel.  Support will go to defray a portion of the out-of-pocket costs Georgia delegates will incur.  The estimated cost per person can easily exceed $500, $1 thousand or more. 

For the other 364 days of the year, we need to keep the message loud and clear at all levels of government.  And, this doesn’t come cheap either. Your support is needed for education, data collection, roundtable and like events, Georgia’s own arts advocacy day, marketing/promotion, legislative monitoring, etc. 

We know this is short notice, but Georgians for the Arts recently received its designation from the IRS as a 501c4 enabling it to collect contributions dedicated to advocacy that are, unfortunately, not tax-deductible contributions.

WHY NOT PITCH IN, AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION BY MARCH 17?  AND AFTER YOU SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, SHARE THIS MESSAGE.

Also, wouldn’t it be great if we could bring someone from every one of the 14 Georgia Congressional Districts with us?

Today, we already have a delegation of 17 committed to attending.  We would like to see even more Georgians join us and your help will make that possible. OR, why not join us yourself? We have at least one delegate for every Congressional District except for 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12. 

Representatives and Senators are much more receptive to our message when a constituent is sitting across from them.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

We’re building a cadre of informed and passionate advocates.   We take what we learn at the national level back home too and are better equipped to advocate with elected officials members in the Georgia General Assembly, County, City, etc.

During the National Arts Advocacy Summit, just a few of the top legislative priorities provided by Americans for the Arts are:

-- Continue bipartisan support with a budget of $170 million for the NEA in the FY 2021 Interior Appropriations bill to broaden access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the US.
-- We urge Congress to strengthen equitable access to arts education through the Well-Rounded Education provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
-- Cosponsor the CREATE Act (S.650, HR 1519) in order to invest in the country's creative economy; to recognize artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit arts organizations as contributors to the small business community; and support the creative economy through federal programs and actions.
-- Support research funding for creative and expressive arts therapies and arts-based programming within federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
-- Support increased funding through the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense for creative arts therapies; expressive arts therapy; and arts-based programming for military, Veterans, and their families through community and wellness programs and partnerships.
-- Support the Saving Transit Art Resources Act to restore local control to transit authorities regarding the integration of art and non-functional landscaping into federally­ funded transit projects and facilities.

And this is just a few!

Georgia is the cultural heart of the South.  But we must move out of 50th place in funding for arts and culture. That’s right. We’re dead last, spending a paltry $.14 per capita, despite being the country’s new Hollywood. 

There are numerous public policy issues affecting arts and culture.  Find them at https://www.americansforthearts.org/advocate.



WE ARE ASKING A LOT, BUT ONE MORE THING.

Contact your Representative and both Senators and let them know we are coming. 

If you don’t know how to contact them, visit  https://www.artsactionfund.org/action-center  And, while you’re there sign up for free to join the Arts Action Fund to show your support for the arts.

Tell your representatives, that we are meeting with them soon and we are speaking for you. Ask them to listen and hear our, your message.

We would be immensely grateful for your support!

On behalf of Georgians for the Arts, we share gratitude for helping us to deliver our message to Congress of how important art and artists are to our economy, to our communities, and to our very way of life as well as helping to further year-round advocacy efforts in Georgia.

Sincerely,
Patrick Kelsey
President & CEO
Georgians for the Arts

Georgians for the Arts, a 501(c) 4 established in 2019, has a mission to provide vision, leadership, and resources that ensure the growth, prosperity, and sustainability of arts and culture in Georgia. It assumes the advocacy activities started and supported by ArtsGeorgia since 2013. Georgians for the Arts advances its mission through year-round arts and culture advocacy activities, year-round programs for artists, and the networking of artists, arts educators, local arts organizations, and business leaders, all working towards a better Georgia.

"Advocating for the advancement and support of arts and culture for Georgia."

Do you want more information about Georgians for the Arts? Learn more about us at www.georgiansforthearts.org.