Get Active:Funding Cuts to Arts and Arts Education

On February 1, the Obama Administration released the FY 2011 budget request to Congress which includes the nation's cultural agencies and programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute for Museums and Library Services (IMLS), and the Department of Education's Arts in Education program.

Take Action! While it serves as an important framework, Congress has the power to set its own priorities and change these funding levels. That's where you come in. Americans for the Arts has provided you with customizable letters (http://www.artsusa.org/get_involved/advocate.asp) on both these issues. These letters include talking points to help you craft your message about why the arts are important to you and your community and should not be underfunded. To read more about the national arts funding situation, please see the Americans for the Arts article on Funding Changes for the Arts.