Advocacy
What is Advocacy?
The Vermont Arts Council defines advocacy as a political process in which individuals or groups of people influence public policy and resource allocation decisions at national, state, and local levels.
Government decision makers deserve to be well informed as they craft policy and legislation. It is fundamentally useful to speak about the real value that arts and culture provide in our communities and in Vermont.
make a difference
A single opinion has proven to have considerable strength, especially when expressed collectively. There are a number of avenues for effective advocacy.
- Speak directly with elected officials in public meetings or in person
- In public forums, ask candidates what their position is for supporting arts and culture
- Send personal letters or email to your elected officials
- Invite your elected officials to arts events in your community
This drawing from the Vermont Arts Exchange beautifully characterizes the many layers of impact the organization has on the community (detail).
articles
- Why Government Should Support the Arts, State Policy Brief from the National Association of State Arts Agencies
- Americans for the Arts: Statement on Arts, Jobs, and the Economy
- Americans for the Arts: Two Dozen Senators Send President Trump NEA/NEH Letter
- CultureGrrl: Never-Ending Battle: Mobilizing (once again) to Save the National Endowments for the Arts & Humanities
- Literary Hub: The Original NEA Legislation is Actually a Great Work of American Literature
- Los Angeles Times: U.S. has funded artists and intellectuals for half a century, but it's a perennial fight
- New York Times: The Folly of Abolishing the N.E.A.
economic data
- Building on a Legacy of Creativity: Understanding and Expanding the Creative Economy of the Northeast Kingdom (on Vermont Creative Network site), NEK study further summarized here , January 2019
- Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 data compiled by Americans for the Arts, AEP5 further summarized here 2017
- The Vermont Creative Sector Economy (on Vermont Creative Network site) August, 2016
- Artists, Artisans, and Entrepreneurs: Creative Economy of the East Central Vermont Region (on Vermont Creative Network site) | Executive Summary (on Vermont Creative Network site) 2016
- The Economic Footprint of the Arts in Vermont, updated July, 2014
- The Economic Footprint of the Arts in Vermont November, 2010
organizations