Support the Art Stimulus Bill - Now!

This editorial is to request your support of Arts & Culture. You can find my reasons for supporting this in previously written articles Lessons From An Entrepreneurial Parent as well as Saving The Economy Through Arts Education.

Now, as you know, Congress is gearing up to pass a $800 billion stimulus package with the goal of creating jobs and stimulating the economy.

I am writing to ask that you join the Institute for Policy Studies' campaign, calling for 1% of the stimulus package be used to support the arts. In a very clear letter from the organizers which are in line with my thinking, the reasons are outlined here:

"The arts are an integral part of our economy and a vital part of our culture and heritage. Unfortunately, arts programs are often the first to be cut in times of crisis, and many programs have already been cut in our public schools and communities.

Much of the art, music, writing, and theater we appreciate today came from Works Progress Administration funding in the 1930s. WPA funding created thousands of jobs for artists, writers, musicians, theater workers, and performers. Our generation deserves no less."

There are currently 2,500 signatures but I know that there are more people out there! Thanks to the Institute for Policy Studies' work on the Hill, the proposal has won support from representative John Conyers and from the progressive caucus who have passed the proposal to Nancy Pelosi. The Obama transition team has also shown some interest.

While this is great progress, it is also true that the halls of Congress are teeming with lobbyists, with many competing interests asking to be included in the stimulus package. So we have to be sure that Congress also hears from artists, writers and arts supporters. It's time to make some noise!

The House aims to have a draft of their stimulus package by the end of January. What this means is we have about three weeks to make an impact.

1. Share the petition with friends and ask them to sign in support: www.ipetitions.com/petition/artsstimulus/index.html

2. Email or call your legislators--US representatives and US senators--to ask that 1% of the stimulus package support the arts. (Cut and paste the sample letter below, if you like.) Find contact information here: www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

3. Contact the Obama transition team to express your support for the 1% for the arts petition. Submit your ideas to at www.change.gov.