Arts Action Alert

From Americans for the Arts- Arts Action Alert - Take Action Now!
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President Obama today released the final details of his FY 2010 budget request to Congress which includes the nation’s cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute for Museums and Library Services (IMLS), and the Department of Education’s Arts in Education program. Write your members of Congress and tell them to support funding for these cultural agencies:
http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=13297101
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As Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, "The president's proposed funding of $161 million would take the NEA to its highest funding level in 15 years and will help continue the upward trend of budgetary growth that Congress established several years ago. In contrast to the previous administration, this year's budget includes funding for the Arts in Education program at the Department of Education at $38.16 million. We hope that Congress will build on these initial budget requests to secure even higher funding levels to address the needs of the arts and arts education community."
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On Arts Advocacy Day, artists Wynton Marsalis, Linda Ronstadt and Josh Groban joined Americans for the Arts and over 550 arts advocates from around the country to testify on Capitol Hill and to meet with congressional leaders to request $200 million for the NEA and $53 million for arts education. These requests are just some of the legislative priorities for the nonprofit arts community in 2009:
http://www.artsusa.org/get_involved/advocacy/advocacy_003.asp

A breakdown of the President’s budget request is as follows:
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Federally Funded Arts Program
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FY 2009 Enacted Appropriations (in millions):
National Endowment for the Arts- $155
National Endowment for the Humanities- $155
Institute of Museum and Library Services - $274.8 *
U.S. Dept. of Education’s Arts in Education- $38.1
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*includes $11 million in Congressional earmarks
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FY 2010 President’s Budget Request(in millions):
National Endowment for the Arts- $161
National Endowment for the Humanities- $161
Institute of Museum and Library Services - $266
U.S. Dept. of Education’s Arts in Education- $38.1

Next Steps
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As you know, the President’s budget is the first step in the appropriations process. While it serves as an important framework, Congress has the power to set its own priorities and change these funding levels. That’s where you come in.
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Arts advocates can make their voices heard by writing their members of Congress and urging them to support funding for arts and culture through the NEA and increase funding for arts in education programs. We have provided you with a customizable letter, as well as several talking points to help you craft your message. We recommend you add your own thoughts and stories about why the arts are important to you and your community:
http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=13297101
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Please help us continue this important work by becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund. Play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today -- it's free and simple- http://www.artsactionfund.org/

Americans for the Arts
1000 Vermont Avenue NW
6th Floor
Washington DC . 20005
T 202.371.2830
F 202.371.0424
One East 53rd Street . 2nd Floor
New York NY .
F 212.980.4857
info@artsusa.org
http://www.americansforthearts.org/
http://www.artsactionfund.org/