Americans for the Arts announces the event schedule for Arts Advocacy Day 2013. The 26th annual Arts Advocacy Day event is presented by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education.  The event is co-sponsored by more than 85 national organizations representing hundreds of thousands of arts, culture, business, civic and education institutions and individuals nationwide.

Events include The Americans for the Arts 26th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, Congressional Arts Kick Off and a Google Hangout on arts education.  Details for each Arts Advocacy Day event follow:

Nancy Hanks Lecture:

Who: Yo-Yo Ma, Grammy Award®-winning cellist and virtuoso; Victoria Reggie Kennedy, president of the Board and co-founder of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate; Lil Buck, noted American dancer; Cristina Pato, esteemed bagpiper, pianist and composer; MusiCorps Band Members led by Arthur Bloom; Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts; and Abel Lopez, chairman of the board of Americans for the Arts.

What:  Yo-Yo Ma will deliver the 26th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, a leading national forum for arts policy, intended to stimulate discussion of policy and social issues affecting the arts. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will introduce Ma. In addition, Lil Buck, Cristina Pato, and MusiCorps led by Arthur Bloom will perform alongside Ma during the Lecture. Google will livestream the event.

His speech is entitled, "Art for Life's Sake: A Road Map from One Citizen Musician." Experts across a variety of fields tell us that the qualities necessary for success in the 21st Century workforce include creativity, flexibility and the ability to innovate and work collaboratively. What kind of education will best enable today's students to develop those qualities?  Drawing on his training as a musician and what he has learned traveling the world for more than 30 years as a touring performer, Yo-Yo Ma will look at where in nature, society and human interactions we find the greatest creativity; what happens when we choose to cross borders and work at the intersections rather than the center; and what we can all do to help students grow up to be contributing and committed citizens.

When:  Monday, April 8, 2013, 6:30 p.m.

Where: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, 2700 F St NW, Washington, D.C.

Livestream:  Americans for the Arts YouTube Channel

Why: The lecture provides an opportunity for public discourse at the highest levels on the importance of the arts and culture to our nation’s well-being.

Tickets: Anyone can tune in for the livestream. If you want to attend the lecture in person, seating is limited. RSVP for tickets to the Lecture is essential for members of the media. For tickets and press credentials, please contact Catherine Brandt Vacovsky at [email protected] or Graham Dunstan at [email protected]. Press are advised to arrive by 5:30 p.m. for check in.

Congressional Arts Kick Off:

Who:   Speakers at the Congressional Arts Kick Off include:

• Yo-Yo Ma, Grammy Award®-winning cellist and virtuoso
• Matt Sorum, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer for Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver and co-founder of Adopt the Arts
• Cristina Pato, esteemed bagpiper, pianist and composer
• Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts
• Charles Segars, Ovation CEO and co-chair of Arts Advocacy Day
• Rep. Louise Slaughter, co-chair of Congressional Arts Caucus
• Rep. Lance Leonard, new co-chair of Congressional Arts Caucus
• Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, co-chair of the new STEAM Caucus
• Rep. John Lewis, member of the Ways & Means Committee
• Rep.  Rosa DeLauro, member of the Appropriations Committee
• Rep. Rush Holt, member of the Education, Labor Committee
• Tom Cochran, United States Conference of Mayors
• Joan Shigegawa, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts

What:  The Congressional Arts Kick Off is held in conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus and marks the official start of Arts Advocacy Day events on Capitol Hill.  During the event, the Congressional Arts Leadership Award will be presented to Senator Tom Harkin.  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.

When:  Tuesday, April 9, 2013
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
RSVP is essential for press coverage.  Please contact Catherine Brandt Vacovsky at [email protected] or Graham Dunstan at [email protected] for press credentials.

Where: Cannon Caucus Room
345 Cannon House Office Building

Why: Speakers will remark on the importance of the arts and arts education to the nation and the need to increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts to $155 million.  This high-energy event is always full of great, unexpected comments and sound bites. This year will be no exception.

Google Hangout:

Who:  Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, will moderate the event. Participants in the hangout include:

• Yo-Yo Ma, Grammy Award®-winning cellist and virtuoso
• Matt Sorum, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer for Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver and co-founder of Adopt the Arts
• Damian Woetzel, Former Principal Dancer at New York City Ballet and the director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program

What:  Participants will discuss the need to develop strong public policies for arts education and field questions from Google Hangout attendees. Questions for Hangout participants can be submitted before and during the Hangout via email at [email protected] or Twitter using #AskYoYo.
 
When:  Tuesday, April 9, 2013
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Press – Please RSVP to Catherine Brandt Vacovsky at [email protected] or Graham Dunstan at [email protected].

Where: Those wishing to join the Hangout live, please visit the Americans for the Arts YouTube Channel.

Why:   This event will create a forum to discuss many of the arts education issues raised during the Nancy Hanks Lecture. We are currently taking questions from the public for the panelists to answer during the Hangout.  If you would like to submit a question, please Tweet using #AskYoYo or send an email to [email protected].
 
Americans for the Arts extends its gratitude to the Rosenthal Family Foundation, Bank of America and Ovation for their generous support of the Americans for the Arts 26th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy. Americans for the Arts thanks Ovation, the only multi-platform network celebrating all forms of artistic expression, for its additional generous support of Arts Advocacy Day.

Arts Advocacy Day brings together a broad cross-section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, to advance the importance of developing and sustaining strong public arts policies and to advocate for increased public funding for the arts and arts education. Ovation CEO Charles Segars is the co-chair of the event.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. 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. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.