Arts Advocacy Day 2006 March 13–14, 2006

Arts Advocacy Day 2006 Home - Hotel Information - Air Travel Information 
National CoSponsors - Ground Transportation in DC - Schedule - Registration
Put the Arts Advocacy Day 2006 Logo on your Website
Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy

Conference Headquarters
L'Enfant Plaza Hotel
480 L'Enfant Plaza
Washington, DC 20024

Entering its nineteenth consecutive year, Arts Advocacy Day is the only national event designed to bring together a broad cross section of America’s national cultural and civic organizations. These groups will join hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts.

This year Arts Advocacy Day kicks off on Monday, March 13, with a day of legislative training sessions and guest speakers. We’ll teach you everything you need to know about the current arts issues circulating on Capitol Hill and how to lobby Congress for increased public funding for the arts. Throughout the day you’ll have the chance to meet with other attendees from your state in order to make the most of your Congressional visits. (The Americans for the Arts State Arts Advocacy Captain from your state will be setting up meetings with Members of Congress prior to your visits on March 14. You may also set up your own Congressional appointments.)

On Monday evening, we’ll travel to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 19th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy. Our speaker this year will be William Safire, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and longtime political columnist for the New York Times. He currently serves as the chairman and chief executive of the Dana Foundation. Mr. Safire will preview new preliminary research results linking brain activity with arts education learning. Mr. Safire will be introduced by Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), and the lecture will also feature a short performance by The Martha Graham Dance Company. A reception will be held in The Kennedy Center Atrium following the presentation.

Directly following the Nancy Hanks Lecture, rising leaders in the arts will gather at 8:30 p.m. at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel for The Emerging Arts Leader Networking Reception. This will be an informal networking opportunity for emerging leaders from around the country who will be in Washington, DC, for Arts Advocacy Day. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) will be our featured guest speaker. Join us for hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and coversation at this exciting event, which is sponsored by the Fannie Mae Foundation and the Program in Arts Management, Shenandoah University. 

On Tuesday morning, we’ll begin the day with the Congressional Arts Breakfast on Capitol Hill. The Congressional Arts Breakfast will feature brief talks by Members of Congress and celebrity guests, as well as performances by Dan Zanes, a critically acclaimed folk musician performing family music for all ages, and Nichola Kouzes, 14-year-old country music VSA arts soloist from Colleyville, TX. We will also be presenting the Congressional Arts Leadership Award to Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA), for his tireless efforts on behalf of the arts. The Congressional Arts Breakfast is designed to rally advocates immediately before you begin your lobbying visits. There will also be time during the breakfast to make final preparations for your lobbying visits with your state delegations.

We hope that you can join us for Arts Advocacy Day. Our success as a strong, unified coalition has been instrumental in advancing key legislative initiatives, including increased funding for the Federal cultural agencies and enlightened tax, international, and education policies. This past year, arts advocates succeeded in securing increased funding for both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as securing increased funding for arts education programs within the U.S. Department of Education. Your involvement does make an impact, and we hope that you will consider joining us for this year’s important event. If you have any questions, please contact Government Affairs and Grassroots Manager Justin Beland at 202.371.2830.