Washington, DC — April 13, 2010 —Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit for advancing the arts, is celebrating Arts Advocacy Day today along with the Congressional Arts Caucus and 86 national co-sponsors. A highlight of the day is a Congressional hearing entitled “Arts Build Communities” hosted by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and its newly appointed chairman, Rep. James P. Moran (D-VA). Americans for the Arts witnesses at the hearing include acclaimed actors Jeff Daniels and Kyle MacLachlan, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and U.S. Army Brigadier General Nolen V. Bivens (ret.). Witnesses are asking Congress to support a budget of $180 million for the National Endowment for the Arts in the FY 2011 Interior Appropriations bill.

The witnesses at the “Arts Build Communities” hearing are:

• Terri Aldrich, Executive Director, Minot Area Council of the Arts (North Dakota)
• Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens, U.S. Army (ret.)
• Jeff Daniels, Golden Globe-nominated film and stage actor
• Kyle MacLachlan, Emmy-nominated TV, film, and stage actor
• Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter
• Charles Segars, CEO, Ovation
• Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts

The witnesses represent a snapshot of the arts at work in America today: those arts workers, business leaders, and public officials who play a role in arts support, participation, programming, policy, and education. Ms. Aldrich’s testimony looks at how NEA funds support rural arts organizations, while Mayor Nutter will address how the arts transform urban areas. Official testimony by Brig. Gen. Bivens examines how U.S. national security is enhanced through the arts.

This is the first hearing on the arts under the leadership of Subcommittee Chairman Moran. The subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes funding oversight for federal cultural agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Smithsonian. Rep. Moran’s rise follows the recent appointment of Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

“Rep. Jim Moran is a great supporter of the arts in Congress, and we look forward to working with him in his new position. It is one that is well-deserved. Rep. Moran’s district in Northern Virginia has a vibrant arts community, encompassing more than 2,200 arts-related businesses that employ nearly 12,000 people,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “We also thank Rep. Dicks for his tireless leadership as chair of the Interior Subcommittee over the past four years. He is a champion for the arts, and he transformed how the arts are supported and respected in Congress. We are pleased to see that he will remain as an active member of the Interior Subcommittee.”

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Visit us online at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.