Action Alert from Americans for the Arts

So we all know by now that the Senate passed this truly hateful amendment (voted for by amongst other Charles Schumer) that stripped arts funding out of the stimulus bill, along with a lot of other funding including zoos. It almost should've been called "How To Make Sure None Of The Stimulus Money Will Go To Enriching Or Bettering People's Lives Amendment" but wasn't.  Anyway... Here's Americans for the Arts on what they're doing about it. It's a good start.  I will also say that in Congress, nothing is a done deal and money left out of the stimulus bill could wind up in another bill down the line. I'm doubtful of that, for reasons that should be obvious. but this one amendment does not mean that the issue of arts funding is dead in this Congress. Far from it.

It is, however, a real wake-up call of the cold-water kind to those of us (including myself) who were very optimistic about the arts in the Age of Obama (to be clear, I'm not blaming Obama for this disappointment). The Republicans decided to demagogue every little thing in the bill they could find. They think that funding the arts is wasteful. Actually, let me correct that, they are pretty sure that the American people think funding the arts is wasteful and it would play will so they demagogued the arts.  The idea that they sincerely were that riled up over $50 million of funding for anything is pretty laughable on its face.

This is disappointing for all sorts of reasons. It's very sad.  I feel pretty defeated right now, honestly. And angry. It's psychologically and emotionally bizarre to have the industry you work in, think about 24/7 and care about attacked en masse by a political party. This might sound self-aggrandizing, and I don't mean it do, but I feel like I now understand at least a fraction- a sliver- of what reproductive rights advocates feel day-in and day-out in this country. 

I will also say this, and it's something worth keeping in mind. We are at the very beginning of the post-NEA 4 comeback for arts advocacy in this country.  We're in maybe like chapter two, with chapter one being Dana Gioia's rather clever tactical conservatism vis-a-vis new programming. I don't know that anyone who lived through the NEA-4 case would've thought that a decade after that case was resolved and the NEA's funding was shredded a guy would be elected President with a coherent and relatively ambitious arts policy.  And now we've learned. It's gonna be harder than we thought. Time to get our heads on straight and fight the good fight. :

Plan of Action

1. Arts advocates need to quickly contact Senators who voted for the Coburn Amendment and express your extreme disappointment with their vote.  We need these Senators to know that their vote would detrimentally impact nonprofit arts organizations and the jobs they support in their state.  We have crafted a customized message for you to send to your Senators based on their vote on the Coburn Amendment.  The correct letter, customized to each of your Senators will appear when you enter your zip code. If your Senator voted for this funding prohibition, you can send them a message expressing your disappointment and ask them to work to delete this language in the final conference bill with the House.  If your Senator voted against the Coburn Amendment, you can thank them for their support of the arts. 
   
   
2. We need as many news articles as possible this coming week to publish stories about the economic impact of the nonprofit arts industry and how the recession is negatively affecting arts groups across the country.  Please click here to customize an opinion editorial to your local media.  We have provided you with easy-to-use talking points.
   
   
3. Next week, Americans for the Arts will be sending you another action alert that targets the White House and the soon-to-be-named Senators and Representatives who will serve as conferees to the final economic recovery bill.  Please be prepared to take action on this alert as well.
   
   
4. Americans for the Arts itself is submitting op-eds to several national newspapers and online blogs. We are enlisting high profile leaders to co-sign these letters as well.
   
   
5. Americans for the Arts is purchasing full-page ads titled “The Arts = Jobs” in Washington’s top political newspapers in Roll Call, Politico and The Hill on Monday and Tuesday of next week.  We encourage you to post the ad on your social network sites.

Comments

[DJA]

As I wrote on my blog: gee, remember back last week ( http://parabasis.typepad.com/blog/2009/01/in-the-interest-of-fairness.html ) when people were worried that there might be too much federal support for the arts? Good times.

[DJA]

PS (At least) three cheers for HTML in Parabasis comments!

[Susan Brennan]

Thank you for organizing!

Please post this link & sign this petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html

The Institute for Policy Study & Split This Rock Poetry Festival have been passing this petition around.

It was written up in the Nation recently http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090216/cavanagh_miller_tuckey?rel=hp_picks

The petition & declaration models itself after the WPA.

Thanks!
Please contact me to join forces!!
Susan