press release archive

Call to Action for Public Funding for the Arts

Atlanta Arts Accords featured today as part of Americans for the Arts annual meeting of more than 800 national arts leaders

(Atlanta) Americans for the Arts (AFTA), a Washington-based organization working to provide access to the arts for all Americans, hosts national government and arts agencies as they come together at 12:30pm at the Atlanta Hilton's Grand Ballroom East in an unprecedented show of commitment to leadership and support for the arts.

They proclaim their dedicated support to the arts by signing the Atlanta Arts Accords, which was spearheaded by AFTA and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). With their signing, each agency pledges to ask their members to pass same-language policy during October, National Arts & Humanities month, to advance public funding for the arts on the federal, state and local level.

The Accords recognize the critical importance of preserving America's arts history and culture as a nationally protected legacy. Representatives from the following organizations will sign the official decree today in a ceremony scheduled as part of AFTA's annual convention at the Atlanta Hilton:

• Americans for the Arts
• National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
• U.S. Conference of Mayors
• Congressional Arts Caucus
• National League of Cities
• National Endowment for the Arts
• National Association of Counties
• National Conference of State Legislatures

Bob Lynch, President/CEO of AFTA, commented, "Creativity has always been an American strength whether its been evidenced through business, policy, entrepreneurial inventions, the internet or the arts. Unfortunately, the arts community continues to struggle for support. With the uncertainty of government funding in the recent past, we feel assured today that our government leaders acknowledge the importance Americans place on our national culture and its documentation through the arts and that American arts will be protected into the next millennium."

Americans for the Arts spearheaded the effort to save the NEA in 1997. It is the national organization that strives to make the arts more accessible to every adult and child in America. To this end, Americans for the Arts works with cultural organizations, arts and business leaders and patrons to provide leadership, advocacy, visibility, professional development and research and information that will encourage support for the arts and culture in our nation's communities.