press room

For Immediate Release

Hundreds Mobilize for National Effort to Preserve Public Funding for the Arts March 9-10, 1998

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Artists, mayors, business leaders and educators are among the hundreds of Americans gearing up to go to Congress with a message that public support for the arts and arts education is vital to the well-being of families, communities and the nation.

On Tuesday, March 10th, Americans for the Arts will host Arts Advocacy Day in cooperation with more than 70 co-sponsoring organizations representing cultural, business and civic leaders - all committed to preserving federal funding for the arts. This effort, the largest single event of its kind, includes activities in the nation's capital, as well as a grassroots campaign. The timing of this event is critical, falling between two House hearings on the endowment's FY99 budget (March 4th and March 12th).

As part of the nationwide effort, hundreds of leaders from most of the 50 states will meet with federal lawmakers to discuss the importance of federal arts support and its role in leveraging additional money for arts organizations and programs across America. Activities begin Monday evening, March 9th, and include:

MONDAY, MARCH 9
Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, featuring jazz great Billy Taylor
Where: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater
When: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Event includes remarks by CBS CEO Michael H. Jordan and a performance by The New Washingtonians, a nationally-known jazz group from the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts. Sponsored by Philip Morris Companies Inc.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10
Congressional Arts Breakfast and Youth Arts Showcase
Where: Cannon House Office Building - Third Floor Caucus Room
When: 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Featuring public officials and arts advocates, including Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY); Rep. John Conyers (D-MI); Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI); Rep. Stephen Horn (R-CA); Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE); Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY); Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD); actress Victoria Rowell; dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen; Arts Advocacy Day Chairman Ken Fergeson, Chairman of the National Bank of Commerce in Oklahoma and witness testifying on behalf of the NEA at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior hearing 3/4/98; New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial;and others. Youth arts performances by: Children's Gospel Choir of America; youth poets from the Duke Ellington School; Christina Cultural Arts Center Youth Chorus; and a champion bluegrass fiddler.

Just one year ago, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was set for elimination. Last March, hundreds of community leaders from Alaska to New Jersey came to Washington on Arts Advocacy Day to lobby for public support for the arts, and spent the following months educating lawmakers on how the arts affect their communities. After one of 1997's most highly politicized battles in Congress, funding for the NEA was saved at a level of $98 million for the current fiscal year.