Nina Ozlu Tunceli had a breakfast meeting this morning with Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) to discuss ways to advance federal arts funding in Congress this year - a top legislative priority of Arts Action Fund members. She learned that the Congressional Arts Caucus will be presenting an official letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior this week urging an allocation of $155 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
The letter was signed by an impressive 120 members of Congress.
Also today, the very same House Subcommittee held hearings for invited witnesses to testify on behalf of budget items within their jurisdiction, including funding for the NEA. Americans for the Arts specifically sponsored Karen Hanan, executive director of the Washington State Arts Commission, to fly to D.C. to testify before this subcommittee at the request of subcommittee member Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA). Karen, along with two other arts witnesses Anita Stewart of Portland (ME) Stage and Melia Tourangeau of Utah Symphony, also requested a $155 million budget for the NEA.
Karen Hanan, Executive Director of the Washington State Arts Commission, and Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
Please contribute to the Arts Action Fund as we step up our legislative and grassroots arts advocacy and increase our support to several other key Congressional arts leaders, especially those that signed the Congressional Arts Caucus letter.
Support our Legislative Agenda. Contribute to the Arts Action Fund!