March 3rd, DC Arts Advocacy Day Participate!

If you are an artist living and working in the District of Columbia- Washington, DC, please read the following from Rob Bettmann, Chair DC Advocates for the Arts:

"This Wednesday teams of arts leaders will visit policy-makers' offices as part of DC's Arts Advocacy Day. In addition to taking meetings, we want to flood the city council and mayor’s office with the message: if you support the arts, you have my vote.

On March 3rd please take a minute to email and/or call your legislators for the arts, and before the day, please forward this to your personal networks, employees, etc. Here is what you might say in an email, or phone call:

Hello. I’m calling for (policymaker name). My name is _________ and I am calling to urge you to maintain arts funding in the FY 11 budget.

Dedicated arts support was cut by 53% from FY 09 to FY 10. I know that tough choices have to be made, but those cuts resulted in lost jobs, lost tax revenue, and lost services for residents. The arts stimulate economic development and support community jobs.

I work/volunteer/have kids at/know people at [insert your example here] and have seen how arts education provides students with the confidence and focus they need to make it through school and go on to college. [THIS IS ALL JUST EXAMPLE -- FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR OWN LANGUAGE AND IDEAS. THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO LET THEM KNOW:] I want you to know that if you support the arts you have my vote.

Thank you for your time. Sincerely,

(Your name)

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AND REMIND THEM TO MAKE A CALL AND SEND AN EMAIL ON MARCH 3rd.

Here is contact information for our local elected officials:

Mayor Adrian Fenty
mayor@dc.gov Tel: (202) 727-6300

Vincent C. Gray, Council Chairman
vgray@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8032

David A. Catania, Councilmember (At-Large)
dcatania@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-7772

Phil Mendelson, Councilmember (At-Large)
pmendelson@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8064

Kwame R. Brown, Councilmember (At-Large)*
kbrown@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8174

Michael A. Brown, Councilmember (At-Large)
mbrown@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8105

Jim Graham, Councilmember (Ward 1)
jgraham@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8181

Jack Evans, Councilmember (Ward 2)*
jackevans@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8058

Mary M. Cheh, Councilmember (Ward 3)
mcheh@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8062

Muriel Bowser, Councilmember (Ward 4)*
mbowser@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8052

Harry Thomas, Jr., Councilmember (Ward 5)
hthomas@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8028

Tommy Wells, Councilmember (Ward 6)
twells@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8072

Yvette M. Alexander, Councilmember (Ward 7)
yalexander@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8068

Marion Barry, Councilmember (Ward 8)*
mbarry@dccouncil.us, Tel: (202) 724-8045

• Denotes member of Economic Development Committee, the Council Committee that oversees the District’s arts agency.

For more information on local arts advocacy, please visit:

http://www.dcadvocatesforthearts.org