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policy and advocacy
Headlines of the Week
- New "Orphan Works" Copyright Legislation Moving in Congress
05-12-2008: New legislation concerning copyrights and artists was introduced in April in both the U.S House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on so-called "orphan works," copyrighted works in which a copyright holder is difficult to locate or identify. The intent of the legislation is to limit liability of those seeking to use the works who pursue a good faith effort to identify and compensate the copyright holder or artist who produced the work. Americans for the Arts is tracking this legislation closely as it is considered by the House and Senate Judiciary committees.
- Audio of Dan Pink Lecture Now Available!
04-21-2008: On March 31, 2008, best-selling author Daniel Pink delivered the 21st annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Art and Public Policy. An audio file of the lecture is now available online. In his presentation, Pink makes what he calls a “hard-headed case for arts education.” He shows how three forces—what he calls abundance, Asia, and automation—are making artistic, empathetic, big picture, “right-brain” abilities the most important abilities in just about every profession today. Pink is known for his recent best-selling book, A Whole New Mind, and was recognized by the Harvard Business Review for his article “The M.F.A. Is the New M.B.A.”
- Visa Bill Passes the House of Representatives
04-07-2008: The Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) Bill, H.R. 1312, passed the House of Representatives. This bill would expedite the visa process for foreign guest artists to no longer than 45 days and waives the expedition fee for nonprofit performer and organizations. It is not known when the Senate will consider the bill. For more information about this legislation, please read our issue brief.
- Arts Advocacy Day is April 1 in Washington, DC!
03-31-2008: Arts Advocacy Day is April 1, 2008! Join other arts advocates from all across the country by using our E-Advocacy Center to let your Members of Congress know why the arts are important to you and your community.
- House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Announces Hearing on the Arts
03-10-2008: For the second year in a row, House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks (D-WA) will hold a hearing on the arts to coincide with Arts Advocacy Day (April 1). Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch is among the witnesses invited to testify.
- Congressional Arts Caucus Circulating Dear Colleague Letters
02-25-2008: The Congressional Arts Caucus is circulating National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Education Dear Colleague letters, seeking $176 million in NEA funding and $53 million in funding for arts education programs at the U.S. Department of Education.
- President Releases FY 2009 Budget
02-04-2008: President Bush sent his FY 2009 budget request to Congress, beginning the yearly appropriations process for the nation's cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Office of Museum Services, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs. On the heels of signing the largest Congressionally initiated funding increase for the arts in 28 years, President Bush has proposed a $16.3 million cut for FY 2009 for the NEA—from $144.7 million to $128.4 million. For the eighth consecutive year, the president's budget has eliminated funding for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs. The FY 2009 budget request also calls for a rescission of $200 million in already-approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. On a positive note, the president requested a funding boost of over $8 million for the Office of Museum Services, bringing the amount of funding available for grants to almost $40 million. Write your Members of Congress and urge them to support increased funding for the arts. You can also read Americans for the Arts President and CEO Bob Lynch's statement on the president's proposed budget.
- USDE Announces New Arts Education Grant Opportunities
01-22-2008: The U.S. Department of Education has announced a new Professional Development for Arts Educators (PDAE) grant competition. Local education agencies are eligible to apply in partnership with local nonprofits, museums, arts education associations, theaters, libraries, and community or faith-based organizations. The grants are estimated to be about $200,000 per year for up to four years. About 30 grants will be awarded and awardees will be announced in early summer. The department is also expected to announce a new Model Development and Dissemination grant competition on January 30. These grant opportunities were made possible by recent congressional approval of funding for arts education.
- Congress Back in Session
01-14-2008: The U.S. House of Representatives will reconvene for the Second Session of the 110th Congress on January 15, 2008. The Senate will begin legislative business on January 22. View the Congressional Schedules here.
- President Signs Largest Increase for NEA in 30 years!
01-07-2008: On December 26, 2007, President Bush signed the FY 2008 Omnibus appropriations bill allocating $144.7 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts—a $20.3 million increase over last year's funding. This 16 percent increase is the single largest increase for the agency in 30 years and reflects years of advocacy to restore the NEA to the funding levels it once had in the mid-90s. Read more about this increase.
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