Americans for the Arts (AFTA), the leading national advocacy organization for the arts, concludes a robust summer of successful federal advocacy, which has resulted in successfully supporting arts funding legislation, helping to defeat measures to cut federal funding for the arts while increasing federal appropriations for arts agencies, and training a dozen local arts leaders/advocates to support their states’ arts programming.
AFTA’s summer started strong in July, as the organization convened 12 national arts leaders from nine states across the nation for a highly anticipated, two-day Legislative Fly-In, the second in 2024. Hailing from Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin, these dedicated arts advocates united in Washington, DC, to collectively advocate for Arts Education and legislation addressing predatory ticket sales.
“This year has been such a success in so many ways for AFTA already,” said Tooshar Swain, AFTA’s Director of Public Policy. “We are particularly proud of our advocacy work, because it benefits so many artists across the country. Our Fly-Ins help dedicated representatives from local arts agencies make their cases to their federal elected officials with tangible results. On a national scale, we are deeply grateful for the funding measures that have increased arts budgets for the benefit of all Americans.”
The impressive Fly-In cohort participated in a comprehensive day of training led by Americans for the Arts and its Arts Action Fundleaders, delving deep into the pertinent topics concerning their respective states. The following day, they met with their state’s Congressional representatives in both the Senate and House to discuss and advocate for:
- Arts Education funding through increasing yearly appropriations in Titles I, II, and IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Assistance for Arts Education grant program
- Arts Education legislation such as the Arts Education for All Act, Reimagining Inclusive Arts Education Act, and the STEAM Education Act, all endorsed by AFTA and introduced to legislation
- The Fans First Act, legislation to address flaws in the current live event ticketing system resulting in inflated prices.
- The Charitable Act, a bill that will reinstate the non-itemizer deduction for individual taxpayers
- Community Arts Engagement funding through the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs for active-duty servicemen and women as well as veterans
AFTA successfully supported several budget measures proposed this summer that increased arts appropriations. As a result of AFTA’s and others’ advocacy efforts from across the nation, the Senate Appropriations Committee allocated an increase in funding for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in the FY’25 Interior Appropriations bill, representing a $2 million increase above current FY’24 funding levels for each agency.
Americans for the Arts also worked to soundly defeat two amendments in the U.S. House of Representatives which sought to cut the NEA and NEH funding by approximately 25 percent. The NEA amendment failed on a voice vote due to the lack of support by both parties while the NEH amendment failed by an impressive vote of 269-to-147.This demonstrates the bi-partisan nature of arts and culture, which transcends politics.Amendments in the House to deeply cut arts funding at the NEA and NEH were also defeated.
For more information, follow @Americans4Art.
Established in 1960, Americans for the Arts (AFTA) is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization advocating for the arts at the federal level in the United States. AFTA is committed to representing and serving local communities while fostering equitable access to and appreciation for all art forms.
