“Without the arts, without music, without dance, without drama, without photography, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.” These were the words the late Representative John Lewis of Georgia shared the many times he addressed crowds of arts advocates of all ages at Americans for the Arts’ annual Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. Americans for the Arts feels deep loss at the passing of Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights hero and a true champion for the arts, and we celebrate the vast contributions he made to our country.

Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce that violin prodigy and social justice advocate Vijay Gupta will deliver the Americans for the Arts 33rd Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy on March 30, 2020, at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The lecture is presented as part of the annual National Arts Action Summit in Washington, D.C., March 30 and 31. 

Before a crowd of 650 arts advocates from every state, including a delegation of 30 from his home state of New Jersey, Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors recognized and thanked U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) for his congressional arts leadership during the 31st Arts Advocacy Day.

For the fifth consecutive year, a new record number of U.S. Representatives has signed the annual “Dear Colleague” letter, led by the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus co-chairs.

Americans for the Arts mourns the loss of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter of New York, who died March 16, 2018 in Washington, D.C. at the age of 88. Louise has been a champion of the arts for decades and our organization and its members are profoundly saddened, but still spirited in her honor and grateful for all she has given in service to her constituents at home and nationwide through her passionate support for the value of the arts and arts education.

Americans for the Arts will be joined by more than 550 grassroots advocates from across the country on March 12–13, 2018, as they meet with their members of Congress to encourage support for arts funding and education. Now in their 31st year, the events are presented by Americans for the Arts and co-sponsored by 85 national organizational partners representing arts, culture, business, civic, and education institutions and individuals nationwide.

With Congress now turning to work on the next fiscal year’s budget (FY2018), Lynch provided testimony in support of $155 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This funding amount is the position taken by the 88 national partners of Arts Advocacy Day and reflected in the numerous advocacy efforts being pursued currently by Americans for the Arts and dozens of other arts organizations.

The Ford Foundation president will speak March 20, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are free, but seating is limited.

On Arts Advocacy Day, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) announced new legislation to strengthen the creative economy to a crowd of over 500 arts advocates.

When you talk about the arts, you talk about opportunity! That is one of the many messages we brought to Capitol Hill the morning of March 8, 2016.

Today, the Obama Administration released its FY 2017 budget request to Congress—the last of his Administration. The request includes a proposed $2 million increase, to $150 million, for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This proposed increase continues a welcomed funding climb, but falls short of the needs of the 95,000 nonprofit arts organizations and state and local arts agencies across the country.

Through the deft work of the Senate education committee, the leadership team of Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) succeeded in crafting and maintaining a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  Today, the Senate voted to approve the Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177), by a vote of 81-17, a remarkable finish, especially considering the number of amendments that were filed (nearly 200 in all) and several other controversial provisions that could have sunk the bill.

Congressional Arts Caucus co-Chairs Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ) led a bipartisan letter requesting $154.466 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in FY 2016. A record-breaking 134 House members joined them in that request!

The letter especially highlights the economic impact of the arts and the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership.

The signed letter is available for download here.

On March 18, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee held its Public and Outside Witness hearing to receive testimony on programs funded by the subcommittee, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Freshman member Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) joined Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) as co-chairs of the Congressional STEAM Caucus.

On the heels of Arts Advocacy Day, this year's Nancy Hanks Lecturer - Norman Lear - wrote to The Hill about how the arts can help solve our nations problems, both here at home and abroad. He highlights arts and diversity and the power of art in the face of recent events in North Korea.

On Friday, April 17, Americans for the Arts' CEO and President, Robert Lynch, wrote to the Huffington post about the power of art stories to compell everyone from congressional representatives and senators to everyday citizens to realize the importance of the arts in all of our lives. Nearly 550 advocates on Arts Advocacy Day took their stories to their congressmembers, and Rep. John Lewis told the story of how the arts influenced the Civil Rights Movement to a standing ovation at the Congressional Arts Breakfast. 

American icon, political activist, comedy genius, national medal of arts honoree (Clinton Admin), and Emmy winner (All in the Family) Norman Lear will deliver the 28th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy on March 23, 2015.

Groundbreaking television producer, author and social activist Norman Lear will deliver the 28^th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 23, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. Produced by Americans for the Arts, the Nancy Hanks Lecture provides an opportunity for public discourse at the highest levels on the importance of the arts and culture to our nation’s well-being.

Arts Advocacy Day 2014 on March 24-25 brought together 500 arts advocates from 45 states to Washington, D.C., last month for National Arts Advocacy Day, which is organized by Americans for the Arts and cosponsored by more than 85 national organizations. In a time where the arts are currently facing many challenges and there are many voices competing for the same pool of money on Capitol Hill, the timing of this event couldn't have been better.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans for the Arts will be joined by more than 500 grassroots advocates from across the country on March 24–25, 2014, as they meet with members of Congress to encourage support of arts funding and education. Arts Advocacy Day is made possible by 85 national cosponsors, and is produced to create positive action on the many issues facing the arts in 2014, including tax reform, budget cuts and education reauthorization.