Step 1. Get involved locally. Talk to your school board members, and encourage others to talk to them, about how important the arts are to the education of all children in your district.
Start a community arts council, or support the one that already exists. Look for ways to bring attention to the arts and culture in your community. Attend local arts events, buy from local artists, contribute to local arts organizations, and find ways to bring people together around the arts and culture.
Step 2. Join the Iowa Cultural Coalition. ICC Coordinator Cynthia Nieb does an excellent job sending out the most current news on the arts and culture in Iowa through her e-mail lists.
But that is only part of what they do. The ICC serves as the umbrella advocacy,
technical assistance, and communications network available to people and organizations
who create and appreciate all forms of art, historic preservation, museums, genealogy,
science and cultural & educational endeavors in Iowa. The group serves the
needs of every Iowan by supporting the people and resources that make it a joy
to live here.
Nieb has available a wealth of information on the 2005 Legislative Platform and easy ways that you can get involved in arts advocacy to benefit your community, as well as a virtual step-by-step guide to advocacy that leaves no question about what to do and when or where to do it.
For more information on getting involved with the Iowa Cultural Coalition, contact
Cynthia Nieb, cnieb@iowalink.com or
515.321.7466.
Step 3. Go national. Americans for the Arts’ Arts Action Center offers a quick and easy way to tell legislators in Washington and at home how important the arts are to the economy, quality of life and in education.
With a few simple clicks on their site, http://capwiz.com/artsusa/home,
you can find your elected officials’ contact information, legislative alerts
& updates, current legislation, key votes and Capitol Hill basics on communicating
with Hill staffers, the legislative process and more. There are also e-mail links
to statewide media outlets and talking points to help you craft an Op-Ed piece.
