|
Arts
NEA/NEH Funding *
Congressional Arts Caucus * Artist
Deductions * Arts in the Fourth
District
I grew up in an arts family. My Mom and Dad, both performing
actors, met in the theater. I know the arts make a significant
contribution to our lives. Federal funding helps symphonies,
theaters, musical productions, ballet and educational programs.
The arts improve the lives of many people, including children,
the elderly and those on a limited budget, who might not otherwise
have the opportunity to see some very beautiful and enriching
performances and creations. Additionally, federal funding
helps enable talented individuals pursue careers in the arts.
NEA/NEH Funding
The federal government is involved in arts funding primarily
through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and humanities
funding primarily through the National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH).
Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and I led a letter
to the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Norman
Dicks and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt in support of $176 million
in Fiscal Year 2008 (FY 08) for the NEA’s core mission
and to expand popular initiatives like the Challenge America
program. In the letter, we wrote:
The NEA supports artistic excellence and improves access
to the arts. Through these core programs, the NEA awarded
1,744 grants in 435 congressional districts last year alone.
Mrs. Slaughter, Jim Leach (IA), David Price (NC) and Norm
Dicks (WA) and I successfully offered a bipartisan amendment
to H.R. 5386, the FY 07 Interior and Environment Appropriations
Act to increase NEA and National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) funding by $5 million per agency. The amendment passed
the House on May 18, 2006 by voice vote.
Louise Slaughter and I also co-authored a letter with 120
of our colleagues to Charles Taylor (R-NC) and Norm Dicks,
Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on the Interior respectively, in support of $170 million for
the NEA in FY 07. In our letter, we wrote:
Federal funding for the arts has a ripple effect on our
economy, and it is critical to leveraging private funding.
An investment in NEA is a great investment in the economic
growth of every community.
I believe the NEA and NEH are good investments. The nonprofit
arts industry alone generates $134 billion annually in economic
activity, supports 4.85 million full-time equivalent jobs,
and generates $24.4 billion in government revenue annually.*
The Fourth Congressional District houses 2,900 arts-related
businesses that employ 11,094 people.**
Congressional Arts Caucus
I Co-Chair the Congressional Arts Caucus with Congresswoman
Louise Slaughter (D-NY). It is a bipartisan organization for
Members of Congress who support the arts through federal initiatives.
Click here for a list of the members of the Caucus.
Each year, the Arts Caucus' major objective is to secure
adequate funding for the NEA, the NEH, and the Institute for
Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Members participate in press conferences in support of the
arts, testify before key committees in support of these cultural
agencies, speak on the House floor about the positive educational
and economic impact of the arts, and participate in the events
of Arts Advocacy Day, an annual March event.
Most important, the Arts Caucus also wages an annual fight
to preserve NEA funding.
Currently, the Caucus includes over 150 Members of the House
of Representatives. The Arts Caucus serves its Members through:
- Organizing meetings, events, and receptions with arts
groups, artists, celebrities, business leaders, and other
arts supporters;
- Holding briefings and meetings for arts staff to provide
updates and plan strategy.
- E-mailing updates about the legislative status of the
arts;
- Providing talking points in support of the arts;
- Providing resources on the arts: articles, books, sample
constituent letters, district-by-district grant information,
and more;
- Coordinating press conferences on the arts;
- Participating in Arts Advocacy Day; and
- Coordinating whipping efforts on behalf of arts legislation.
Christopher joins Carole King and Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
at a recent Congressional Arts Caucus event. Christopher and
Louise are Co-Chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus.
Artist Deductions
I am a cosponsor of the Artists' Contribution to American
Heritage Act, which would allow artists to deduct the fair
market value of artwork they have produced and donated to
a public institution. I support this legislation because it
is simply an issue of fairness. If private donors can donate
a piece of work and take a tax deduction for its market value,
artists should have the same right.
As co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, I am committed
to encouraging the donation of our artists' work to organizations
which benefit the public.
Arts in the Forth District
To serve the numerous arts organizations in the Fourth Congressional
District, I have hosted several funding forum for local nonprofit
community arts organizations.
In June 2006, the Chairman of the National Endowment for
the Arts, Dana Gioia came to the Fourth District. His staff
conducted a grants workshop for 40 arts organizations from
around the state. Gioia then toured several of our local arts
institutions, including the Silvermine Guild Arts Center,
the Westport Country Playhouse and the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield.
Shays is pictured above at the Silvermine Arts Guild
with Silvermine Guild Executive Director Cynthia Clair, New
Canaan First Selectman Judy Neville, NEA Chairman Dana Goia,
and Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism Executive
Director Jennifer Aniskovich.
For more information on the
Arts and Humanities, please visit:
National
Endowment for the Arts
National
Endowment for the Humanities
Institute
of Museum and Library Services
Americans
for the Arts
*Source: Arts and Economic Prosperity, Americans for the
Arts, 2002.
** Source: Americans for the Arts 2007 Creative Industries
Report.
|
