Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy

After a full day of lectures, networking, and training, Arts Advocacy Day attendees gathered with hundreds more arts advocates to attend the 30th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.  This year's lecture was delivered by Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, with opening remarks by Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch, formal introductions and a Q&A by Studio Museum Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden, and a special performance by the incomparable artist Anna Deavere Smith.  You can watch Darren Walker's lecture below, or read a trascript of his lecture here.  

Hanks Lecturer Darren Walker

Darren Walker

Question and Answer Session with Darren Walker and Thelma Golden

Q&A with Darren Walker and Thelma Golden

Thelma Golden

Thelma Golden

Abel Lopez

Abel Lopez

Americans for the Arts CEO Robert Lynch

Robert Lynch

Congressional Arts Kick-Off

The Congressional Arts Kick-Off marks the official start of the Arts Advocacy Day events on Capitol Hill. At this event, the Congressional Arts Leadership Award was presented to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The award, which recognizes distinguished service on behalf of the arts, is part of a series of Public Leadership in the Arts Awards given annually by Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors.  After the Congressional Arts Kick-Off, advocates met with their Senators and Members of Congress to discuss federal legislation issues, share their arts stories, and build relationships.  Our advocates had over 400 face-to-face meetings with Congressional leaders and staff.

Rep. John Lewis

Rep. John Lewis

Rep. Leonard Lance

Rep. Leonard Lance

Senator Lisa Murkowski

Senator Lisa Murkowski

Senator Tom Udall

Senator Tom Udall

Robert Lynch

Robert Lynch

Gabrielle Ruiz

Gabrielle Ruiz

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici

Jane Chu

Jane Chu

The FRESHH Inc.

The FRESHH Inc.

Thelma Golden

Thelma Golden

Tom Cochran

Tom Cochran

Senator Chris Van Hollen

Senator Chris Van Hollen

Rep Debbie Dingell

Rep Debbie Dingell

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Brian Stokes Mitchell

 

View all the speeches from Arts Advocacy Day on the Americans for the Arts YouTube channel.

 

Resources

For a list of speaker's slides, the Congressional Arts Handbook, and additional resources from Arts Advocacay Day, check out our 2017 Tools & Resources Page

 

See our photos from Arts Advocacy Day 2017 on Flickr! 

 

 

Check out Arts Advocacy Day 2017 on Social Media! 

See the top tweets, instagram photos, facebook posts, and more generated during Arts Advocacy Day 2017 and the Nancy Hanks Lecture - by YOU! (#ArtsAdvocacy)

For more information about this program or any Americans for the Arts programs and services, please contact us by e-mail or call us at 202.371.2830