Testify on March 18 at NYC Council
Cultural Affairs Committee's Preliminary Budget Hearing
Fund Arts & Culture for FY2026

On Tuesday, March 18, at 10:00 a.m., join Dance/NYC along with arts and cultural workers and advocates to testify at the New York City Council Cultural Affairs Committee’s Preliminary Budget Hearing. This is your opportunity to  advocate for increased, stable, and equitable funding for arts and culture in our city.

What this means:
The dance ecosystem has been hurting. The State of NYC Dance 2023 Report revealed that 40% of dance entities classify their financial health as weak or very weak, and the average dance worker wages is 15% below NYC’s living wage. Increasing the city's arts and culture funding puts more money into our ecosystem, enabling organizations and workers to thrive.

The Mayor put out a preliminary budget earlier this year. Now, the public gets an opportunity to inform how the City Council responds.

What you can do:

• Testify at City Hall or virtually via Zoom by registering at least 24 hours in advance, or as early as possible.
• Or submit written testimony by March 21, up to 72 hours after the hearing, via the Council’s website or by emailing them to testimony@council.nyc.gov.

Let lawmakers know that dance—along with the wider arts and culture sector—are integral to not only New York City’s economy but the well-being and vibrancy of our city as a whole.
 

REGISTER OR SUBMIT TESTIMONY