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.

Following the success of Americans for the Arts’ National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military summit in February 2015, an invitation was extended to our President and CEO, Bob Lynch, to write a guest column for a spring issue of the NACo County News. NACo’s Veterans Affairs Committee features the guest column online: Arts Help Veterans Heal.

Health for Life, a new program created by the Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation (OPCC&CT) at the VA, is changing the way they talk about healthcare to include the arts in healing as a valued asset to whole health care and well-being for our Veterans.

On Wednesday, February 25, fifteen artists, entertainers, and art patrons were celebrated at the eighth Texas Medal of Arts Awards, which celebrates Texans who promote the arts in regards to children's education, state economy and Texas culture.

Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, announced today the appointment of Shelagh Mahoney, CEO and owner of Eastern Salt Company,Inc., Eastern Minerals Inc., and Atlantic Salt, Inc., to its Business Committee for the Arts (BCA) Executive Board.  

This morning, First Lady Michelle Obama joined the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Acting Director Maura Marx to present the 2015 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Ten institutions from across the country attended the White House Ceremony to be recognized for outstanding service to their communities. These organizations demonstrate significant impact and high quality of programs, services, and partnerships, and were selected among thirty finalists. Robert Lynch, CEO of Americans for the Arts, attended the ceremony today. 

In an article about Kevin Spacey's real-life presence in Washington D.C., which predates his role on the television show "House of Cards," Robert Lynch was quoted speaking about Spacey's role in advocating for arts funding at the 2012 Arts Advocacy Day.

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. 

Americans for the Arts has announced the New Community Visions Initiative, part of the large-scale Transforming America’s Communities Through the Arts, a $10.5 million suite of programs set to generate national dialogue and engage key stakeholders over the next three years. The New Community Visions Initiative will explore the future of local arts in America and the role of community-based arts that enable organizations, funders, cultural institutions, and artists to shape healthier communities over time. 

The NABE Foundation, the charitable arm of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE), and Americans for the Arts have awarded Xiangyu “Lucy” Wang the seventh annual NABE Foundation/Americans for the Arts Scholarship Award. Wang will receive the $5,000 scholarship to further the integration of the arts into the study and application of economics in her undergraduate career and professional development. 

This January, Americans for the Arts and the United States Conference of Mayors presented The Honorable Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston, TX with the Mayors National Award for Local Arts Leadership for cities with a population of 100,000 or more, during the United States Conference of Mayors Arts Breakfast in Washington, DC.

The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA), led by Americans for the Arts Board member and Private Sector Council member, Deborah Jordy, recognized companies and individuals at its annual Business for the Arts Awards luncheon on Wednesday, March 11^th. A total of five awards were presented from CBCA, and over 750 individuals attended the event at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced 12 finalist cities in the running to receive up to $1 million each as part of the Public Art Challenge, a new program aimed at supporting temporary public art projects that engage communities, enhance creativity, and enrich the vibrancy of cities. Americans for the Arts president and CEO Robert L. Lynch applauds Bloomberg Philanthropies and comments on the news. 

On Sunday, July 12, 2015, Americans for the Arts, in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo), presented the 2015 Public Leadership in the Arts Award for County Arts Leadership to Riverside County, California. The award was presented at NACo's annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

On Tuesday, February 10, Americans for the Arts' CEO, Bob Lynch, served as a panelist for the Business-Community Impact Symposium, hosted by The Conference Board - a partner of Americans for the Arts.

President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, Robert L. Lynch, as well as Vice President of Local Arts Advancement, Clayton Lord, participated in the third annual SphinxCon on January 30 in Detroit, Michigan as part of Americans for the Arts ongoing work in the field of arts and diversity.