The National Lieutenant Governors Association

Americans for the Arts is pleased to partner with NLGA which consists of 55 members (Lt Governors and in a few states, the Secretary of State), the officials first in line of gubernatorial succession in the states and US territories.  Americans for the Arts and NLGA have partnered together since 2006.  But, in an effort to more closely work together, and to highlight the needs of state national guard members, the two organizations agreed to develop the State Military and Veterans Arts Initiative. 

Through the State Military and Veterans Arts Initiative, NLGA will promote information resources, deliver education programs, and facilitate opportunities for the seconds-in-command in the states to promote and/or support arts-based services and programs aimed at strengthening the health and well-being of active duty and reserve military members, veterans, their families, and caregivers.

Americans for the Arts will provide funding, collaborate in the creation of information resources and education programs, and lend expertise in helping the seconds-in-command execute work unique to their states.

Program Goals

NLGA and Americans for the Arts share a general mutual goal to make arts, in its various forms, available to the military continuum as a tool to improve health and wellness.  The parties will work together as possible to advance the policy, practice, and quality use of arts and creativity as tools for health in the military and for veterans. 

Americans for the Arts is uniquely positioned as the only arts organization that works with the various associations of elected officials including NLGA and several other state, local and county based groups.  Americans for the Arts not only has deep relationships with each of these associations in general but also with the various committees with jurisdiction over military and veteran’s issues.  Americans for the Arts is able to bring key constituents together to administer our State Military and Veterans Arts Initiative with key decision makers.

Program Activities

These programs could include, but are not limited to:

• Issuing Press Releases
  • In addition to Americans for the Arts and NLGA issuing press releases on The State Military and Veterans Arts Initiative,
  • Individual Lt. Governors/Secretary of States can issue their own periodic press releases on The Initiative and/or their activities.    
     
• Holding Press Conference(s)
  • Interested NLGA members could hold one or more press conferences highlighting their commitment to this topic.  The press conferences could be with local arts and military leaders.  Topics could range from announcing The Initiative to highlighting specific policy or programs. 
     
• Convening local arts groups with military/government leaders
  • Interested NLGA members could convene local military leaders, along with regional and/or arts organizations to promote this initiative along with developing specific partnership plans.  For example, a NLGA member could use the Americans for the Arts’ Creative Industries maps to identify all of the local arts groups within a five-county area of a military base or veteran’s health center. 
     
• Working with the state legislature to pass legislation better enabling their department of veteran’s affairs to work with arts therapists
  • Interested NLGA members could promote pro-Arts in the Military’ legislation, which could range from a Joint Resolution of Support to changing the rules for the state department of veteran’s affairs to include the arts as part of their healing process. 
     
• Educating key state employees about arts therapy programs
  • Interested NLGA members could educate and inform key state appointed officials about the importance of including the arts in the military healing process. 
     
• Adding this issue to their web sites and committing to discussing the topic when speaking publicly
  • Interested NLGA members could either link to NLGA’s or Americans for the Arts’ web sites and/or create new pages on their official site highlighting their work with The Initiative and/or on the topic.