Support the NJ Delegation in DC!

National Arts Advocacy Day is on Tuesday, April 9. New Jersey’s delegation of 25 arts advocates will represent you on Capitol Hill. Now here’s where we need your help.

Even though you cannot attend in person, you can help your state arts advocacy delegation members who are coming to DC. We need you to write to your Members of Congress. Please support us as we walk the halls of Congress and tell our elected officials how the arts make a difference in communities throughout New Jersey.

Take two minutes to send a pre-written, customizable Arts Advocacy Day letter to your members of Congress.

FEDERAL

There are two priority areas for arts education advocacy at the federal level: strengthening the arts in the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA, most recently called the No Child Left Behind Act), and supporting the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education.

Arts education is being threatened in current House legislation, both in policy and funding. Legislation offered by the House education chairman seeks to terminate authorization of the federal Arts in Education program, and the House education appropriations bill for FY2013 similarly strikes this federal program.

However, Senate committee legislation reauthorizing ESEA includes support for a well-rounded curriculum, which would including arts education and the Senate Appropriations Committee FY2013 legislation provides $26.5 million for the federal Arts in Education program.

Further details on strengthening the arts in our nation’s education policies, including legislative recommendations are online here.

Please take a few minutes to write to your members of Congress and ask them to support strengthening arts education in federal policy.