5/14/09: Now, more than ever, it is vitally important for all of us who love and support the arts to take it a step further, and become arts advocates. There are so many ways to get involved. Everything from buying a ticket to a local performance to donating art materials to your child's school to sending a letter to your Member of Congress supports the future of Napa Valley arts.
On this page is information on how you can make a difference. You may sign up for newsletters, learn about arts legislation facing both state and federal government, learn about arts advocacy organizations, and join the network of arts advocates who believe that arts are critical to our community's well-being, as well as our local economy. Get involved today!
The best thing you can do every day is get involved in local arts:
The California Arts Council, a state agency, has the mission to advance California through the arts and creativity with an emphasis on children and artistically underserved communities. Their website is www.cac.ca.gov. California Arts Council funding has provided programs for both children and adults here in Napa Valley. One significant way to support the CAC, and to show your support of the arts in California, is to buy an Arts License Plate. Click here for information.
California Arts Advocates (CAA) was founded in 1996 as a means of bringing together individuals and organizations, who believe in the importance and vitality of the arts in California, and to support public investment in the arts and legislation that benefits arts and culture programs that serve California. CAA has been the collaborative force behind the battle to protect arts funding in California, as well as the successful passage of several bills that return arts programs to schools and laws that positively impact the arts.
To learn more about CAA, please go to www.californiaartsadvocates.org
CAA sends detailed newsletters to its membership about current legislation facing the California Congress. .
CAA also has an excellent system, called Capwiz, which allows users to identify the names and contact information for elected officials. It also generates form emails that contain detailed information about current legislation. These emails can be personalized by the user and can be sent directly to those elected officials with just a click of a button. To explore the Capwiz system, go to http://capwiz.com/artsusa/ca/home
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With 45 years of service, we are dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.
AFTA has an excellent Arts Action Center page on their website: http://www.artsusa.org/get_involved/advocate.asp
This site has links that allow users to contact lawmakers, register to vote, track legislation, view voting records, and learn about current legislation that will affect the arts. It uses the Capwiz system, allowing users to send emails to their elected officials about federal arts issues.
