policy and advocacy
State Arts Action Network
Welcome to the State Arts Action Network (SAAN) home page. .
On March 29, 2004, Americans for the Arts announced that two previously independent national arts organizations, the State Arts Advocacy League of America (SAALA) and the National Community Arts Network (NCAN), had ratified an agreement to become part of Americans for the Arts.
The joining together of these two organizations with Americans for the Arts is consistent with the bold five-year strategic plan recently developed by Americans for the Arts as a result of a $120 million gift from philanthropist Ruth Lilly. In that plan, created through a year-long planning process, Americans for the Arts identified the need for creating a statewide advocacy organization and a statewide service organization in every state. The State Arts Action Council and Network will strengthen and build arts advocacy and service infrastructure in the United States at the national, state, and local levels. Among other things, it will help shape public policy, initiate effective advocacy campaigns, set research agendas, provide meaningful professional development, and provide peer-to-peer networking opportunities to emerging arts organizations.
The Network is composed of all former members of SAALA and NCAN that are current members of the Americans for the Arts. An elected Council governs the Network. Currently, the Council is comprised of the 2004 board members from SAALA and NCAN. The Council has two co-chars. Betty Plumb, the 2004 NCAN Board Chair and Alene Valkanas, the 2004 SAALA Board Chair. A member of the Americans for the Arts staff, Jay Dick, the Director of State Arts Policy, serves at the staff member for the SAAN. For more information about the Network, please contact Jay at jay@artsusa.org.
Based upon the first meeting of the SAAN, which was held in July in conjunction with the pARTicipate 2004 conference in Washington, DC, the following priorities were decided upon:
- Develop mission, vision and values statement.
- Conduct baseline research/ needs assessment in each state.
- Create action plan for all 50 states.
- Create relevant opportunities for professional development and networking.
Click here to view the SAAN Operating Procedures