Dance/NYC works in alliance with Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.

Tomorrow is the National Arts Advocacy Day, and Dance/USA is once again serving as a national partner. Dance/USA worked with more than 80 national arts organizations to revise and update the policy briefs that provide talking points and legislative “asks” for a wide range of issues that impact the arts.

 
As we head into Arts Advocacy Day, key policy issues to pay attention to include: 

• Support of the National Endowment for the Arts. President Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 again moves to eliminate the NEA, as well as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. However, Congress has continued to demonstrate bipartisan support for the cultural agencies. Advocates continue to urge Congress to fund the NEA at $155 million, and the House of Representative’s “Dear Colleague” letter asks the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee to provide “at least $155 million” for FY2019.

 

• Tax Reform. With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act at the end of 2017, nonprofits are concerned that several provisions could impact how many people contribute to nonprofits. Nonprofits are asking Congress to introduce a universal charitable deduction that is available to all taxpayers and to encourage increased giving.

 

• Visas for International Artists. While arts organizations continue to see delays in the processing of O and P visas for foreign guest artists, Senators Orin Hatch (R-UT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have introduced the ARTS (Arts Require Timely Service) Act, which would provide free premium processing to performing arts organizations should U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services not meet the 14-day turnaround time. You can urge your senators to co-sponsor the ARTS Act. 

 

Even if you’re not in Washington, D.C., you can participate in Arts Advocacy Day by sending a letter to your members of Congress and urging them to support the policy issues that benefit artists, arts organizations, and the audiences and communities they serve. 

Act Now! 

• Urge Congress to fund the NEA at $155 million for FY18 and FY19.

• Urge your senators to co-sponsor the ARTS Act which supports the hiring of international guest artists. 

• Support tax policies that encourage more charitable giving to nonprofits. 

To learn more about these and other issues, visit Dance/USA's advocacy page. And please take a minute to join arts advocates from across the U.S. in urging Congress to support policies and legislation that impact the arts sector.