CAA News Today

Americans for the Arts, a national organization that supports the arts through private and public resource development, maintains Capwiz,
an online tool that makes it easy for you to play an active role in
arts-advocacy efforts at the state, local, and federal levels.
E-advocacy is an easy, timely, and efficient way to communicate your
views to legislators at all levels of government, and Capwiz provides
the information you need to take action. Use it, and use it
often–elected officials respect and respond to the input of their
constituents.

Capwiz offers you extensive opportunities to:

• Explore current issues and legislation that affect the arts on both federal and state levels of government

• Send timely messages to your elected officials at the state, local, and federal levels

• Browse your legislators’ biographies, committee assignments, staff
directories, and the list of contributions made to them by political
action committees

• View the arts voting records of your federal representatives

• Browse a complete media guide to newspaper, television, and radio outlets in your area or state

• Find complete, up-to-the-minute election and candidate information on
state, congressional, and presidential races, including candidate
biographies and position statements

• Download voter registration forms and stay abreast of key dates for primary and general elections

Two websites, the Law Portal and the Art Law Blog, publish on issues of importance to the intersections of art and the law.

The Law Portal provides access to primers–relatively brief summaries of the law for nonlawyers–on legal matters that affect the arts, artists, and arts institutions. The materials have been created by a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses. The Law Portal was created by Sandra Braman at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.

The Art Law Blog is written by Donn Zaretsky and published by John Silberman Associates, a New York-based law firm. It follows the art and legal worlds by linking to published articles and commenting on issues of copyright, artists and art institutions, and more.

CAA provides descriptions of the two websites for general-information purposes only; the websites do not constitute legal advice or reflect CAA policy, guidelines, or recommendations. If you have specific legal questions, please contact an intellectual-property attorney.

Two websites, the Law Portal and the Art Law Blog, publish on issues of importance to the intersections of art and the law.

The Law Portal provides access to primers–relatively brief summaries of the law for nonlawyers–on legal matters that affect the arts, artists, and arts institutions. The materials have been created by a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses. The Law Portal was created by Sandra Braman at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.

The Art Law Blog is written by Donn Zaretsky and published by John Silberman Associates, a New York-based law firm. It follows the art and legal worlds by linking to published articles and commenting on issues of copyright, artists and art institutions, and more.

CAA provides descriptions of the two websites for general-information purposes only; the websites do not constitute legal advice or reflect CAA policy, guidelines, or recommendations. If you have specific legal questions, please contact an intellectual-property attorney

The ACLU has provided a advice regarding your rights if stopped or questioned by the police. To access this information please go to the ACLU Website.

The ACLU has provided a advice regarding your rights if stopped or questioned by the police. To access this information please go to the ACLU Website.

Americans for the Arts has made it easier than ever for you to play an active role in arts advocacy efforts at the state, local, and federal levels through a new, powerful online advocacy service called Capwiz. E-advocacy is a timely, efficient way to communicate your views to legislators at all levels of government, and Capwiz gives you all the information you need to be informed and take action. Use it, and use it often�elected officials respect and respond to the input of their constituents.

• Explore current issues and legislation that affect the arts on both federal and state levels.
• Send timely messages to your elected officials at the state, local, and federal levels of government.
• Browse your legislators� biographies, committee assignments, staff directories, and even the list of contributions made to them by political action committees.
• View the arts voting records of your federal representatives.
• Browse a complete media guide to every newspaper, television, and radio outlet in your area or state.
• Find complete, up-to-the-minute election and candidate information on state, congressional, and presidential races, including candidate biographies and position statements.
• Download voter registration forms and stay abreast of key dates for primary and general elections.

Click here to use Capwiz

Below is a listing of congressional committees important to arts and humanities legislation. If your Senator or Representative serves on one or more of these committees, he or she will have a direct impact on arts and humanities policy, and can play an active role in the funding debate. We urge you to make a special effort to contact your representative by sending a letter of support for the federal funding of the NEA and the NEH. Whenever possible, you should meet directly with your representative. You can also contact your representatives by clicking on the Americans for the Arts websiticker. Again, if you need further information about your representative’s involvement with federal funding, please feel free to email Rebecca Cederholm.

2005 House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee:

2005 Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee:

RE: NEA and NEH Funding

Please cut, paste, and customize this text.

[DATE]

The Honorable [FULL NAME]
U.S. House of Representative / United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515 (House) 20510 (Senate)

Dear Representative / Senator [LAST NAME]:

Public encouragement and financial assistance for arts and humanities programs are very much in the hearts and minds of the citizens of this country. I urge you to support these programs in discussions with other members of Congress and the general public. Moreover, whenever possible, please vote in favor of increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

With a relatively small investment from Congress, the federal cultural agencies provide access to high-quality educational programs and resources that reach millions of Americans each year. To this end, it is critical that we continue to strengthen funding for the arts and scholarly research through increased appropriations for the NEA and NEH.

As an individual who is passionate about our nation’s arts programs and a member of the College Art Association, I look forward to your powerful recognition concerning arts and humanities funding. If ever I can be of assistance to you in this endeavor, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ORGANIZATION OR MEMBER OF CAA]

Whether you plan to meet with your legislator in Washington, D.C. or will schedule a visit with staff in your district office, keep in mind the following points when preparing for your meeting:

• Each office schedules appointments differently, but usually they are arranged by the Washington or district scheduler. Your legislator’s office in Washington may be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard, 202/224-3121. Before you call, be prepared to tell the scheduler the date and time you would like to meet and the general topics you wish to discuss.
• Whether your meeting is in Washington or in your home district, call the member’s office in Washington to speak with the legislative assistant who handles arts issues and notify him/her of your upcoming meeting. Doing so may help the member of Congress to be better prepared, and encourages a follow-up relationship with that assistant.
• If you are joining other advocates for a group meeting, inform the scheduler of the number of people expected in your group and identify them. It is also important to meet with the other members of your group prior to the meeting to discuss what you want to achieve and to plan your presentation. Appointing one member of the group to lead the meeting with the legislator will result in a discussion that is focused, conveys a clear message, and extracts useful information.
• Assume that the time allotted by the legislator’s office is “the real time”–don’t assume that once the meeting begins, you can extend the meeting time. (However, it often turns out that if a meeting is going well, you may get more time with the legislator than you expected.)
• Be on time. An unwritten law of lobbying is that it’s okay (up to a point) for the legislator or staff to be late, but unacceptable for the lobbyist to be late.
• Be sure to take some materials to the legislator or staff to illustrate or amplify your points, but do not overwhelm him/her with paper.
• Don’t do all the talking–listen, and take notes too. Try to explore what the legislator’s views are.
• # When the legislator asks questions, provide direct answers whenever possible. If you don’t know the answer, say you’ll get back to him or her. (Another reason for taking notes: you must follow up.)
• If you wind up meeting only with staff even though you had an appointment with the legislator, take into account the circumstances. There is likely a legitimate reason that the legislator could not make the appointment. Remember that staff are important in the process as well; they are responsible for gauging constituents’ views on issues and communicating them to the legislator.
• Don’t be discouraged if legislators decline to take a solid position or make commitments during your meeting. Using your own judgment, try to get a feeling for what their reservations are, how you can address them, and what realistic avenues you can pursue in the future to gain their support or modify their opposition.
• Send a thank-you letter to the legislator or staff, restating the main points of the meeting. Also send any information requested in the meeting.

–HCW American Symphony League