Nolen V. Bivens
Dear Friends,
I'm thrilled to reflect on our collective journey in 2023. Our institution's enduring legacy of more than six decades is a tribute to the dedication of our committed staff, influential Board leaders, and extensive network of members, supported by the invaluable contributions of donors, partners, and collaborators. Together, our unified mission continues to weave arts and culture seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life, leaving an indelible mark on communities across the nation.
A message from the president & CEO Nolen Bivens
Dear Friends,
I’m thrilled to reflect on our collective journey in 2023. Our institution’s enduring legacy of more than six decades is a tribute to the dedication of our committed staff, influential Board leaders, and extensive network of members, supported by the invaluable contributions of donors, partners, and collaborators. Together, our unified mission continues to weave arts and culture seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life, leaving an indelible mark on communities across the nation.
A period of profound introspection led us to embrace change and a renewed vision. Many of you stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us on this transformative journey, employing creative thinking, bold commitments, and a profound dedication to our role as a leading national arts advocacy organization. Our strategic shift underlines our belief that the arts are a resilient national asset. This belief echoed in our Seven Principles guiding our shift to equitable arts advocacy, a national movement to democratize access to the arts as a driving force for social, cultural, educational, and economic growth in communities nationwide.
Americans for the Arts engaged with communities, partners, and advocates to advance our mission of advocating equitably for increased federal resources for the arts. Our goal is to ensure that every individual in every community across the country can experience the arts throughout their lifetime. We are deeply committed to bolstering local arts agencies and nurturing grassroots efforts to support federal advocacy.
In 2024, we will continue building momentum around equitable arts advocacy through intensified Congressional Fly-ins, fostering essential connections and dialogues, amplifying the power of the arts for change through the 2024 Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy, and sustaining critical discourse on the intersection of the arts and society through the 35th Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy.
Looking ahead, we will continue adapting and supporting our constituents amid evolving landscapes and emerging trends to meet the needs of the arts and culture community. Thank you for supporting our mission to make the arts accessible to everyone and creativity serves as an endless source to shape a brighter future for our country.
Very respectfully,
7 Principles toward Culture Shift for Americans for the Arts
Research
American for the Arts offers concrete evidence of the arts’ positive impact on communities through its research.
It showcases how the arts foster economic development, social cohesion, cultural richness, education, and well-being.
Research
American for the Arts offers concrete evidence of the arts’ positive impact on communities through its research.
It showcases how the arts foster economic development, social cohesion, cultural richness, education, and well-being.
Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) is Americans for the Arts sixth national study on the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture. Our findings from this signature study were released on October 12, 2023.
By all measures, the study has been an important success for better understanding the impact arts have and what needs for the arts still exist.
– Kate Gipson, Local Research Partner, Louisville, Kentucky
“At no time was the role of arts in our world more prevalent than during the COVID-19 shutdowns. The power of arts to bring us through the darkness is a shining example of the social impact.”
– Kim Bergeron, Northshore Cultural Economy Coalition, Louisiana
American for the Arts staff visited 70 cities across 15 states for AEP6 release activities:
- Events held at Chambers of Commerce and city councils
- Engaged with tourism and economic development leaders
- Conducted interviews with print and digital media
- Presented data and advocacy strategies to the national arts community.
~Randy Cohen, VP of Research
American for the Arts.
Advocacy
The arts thrive when everyone gets involved – it’s a collaborative effort.
American for the Arts provides tools and resources to empower individuals and organizations to champion the arts in their communities, positively impacting hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people.
These efforts bolster approximately 4,000 local arts agencies, nurture emerging leaders, and give members a platform to make their voices heard at the federal level.
Our collective actions weave arts and culture into the fabric of everyday life.
Advocacy
Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund’s new Equitable Advocacy Program drives year-round advocacy throughout the country. Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund sponsored a total of three strategic Legislative Fly-Ins in 2023 bringing in a total of 32 advocates from across the country.
Learn more about the legislative fly-ins from the program participants.
Meet Some of Our State and District Federal Arts Advocacy Captains
Adriane Jefferson
Director of Cultural Affairs, City of New Haven (Connecticut)
Todd Hawkins
Director, City of Irving Arts & Culture, TX
Jennifer Stevens
Director, Boise City Department of Arts & History (Idaho)
Manny Cawaling
Executive Director, Inspire Washington, WA
Congressional Fly-Ins
Learn about Congresswoman Bonamici’s legislation in support of arts education
Advocating for the Arts
United States Conference of Mayors
National Association of Counties
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americas for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund focused their advocacy and technical assistance efforts on funding programs to support nonprofit and for-profit arts organizations, individual artists, and gig workers. We provided unwavering support, loyalty, and solidarity to our local arts agencies, partners, and arts allies. Helping to guide many of them through grants and other application processes built trust and solidified many of our relationships.
In the end, we helped each other build resiliency and realized that we are all stronger as partners than as individuals.
The Arts Action Fund’s Executive Director, Nina Ozlu Tunceli, quickly created Office Hours with Nina to provide customized technical assistance to thousands of individual artists and arts organizations throughout 2020 – present.
Working Together Through Advocacy and Action
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit America, the arts community was a united front, exemplifying the concept of strength in numbers.
Performing arts venues were the first to close and last to recover, with many still struggling. Jobs in the arts dropped by over 50 percent. Job loss at nonprofit arts organizations was 3 times worse than the average of all nonprofits. At the height of the pandemic, more than 60 percent of artists experienced unemployment. Nearly 50 percent of artists were unable to access or afford food at some point during the pandemic.
Funding was therefore necessary so that venues could successfully reopen when restrictions were lifted. Americans for the Arts worked closely with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to lobby Congress to pass the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, which directed the Small Business Administration (SBA) to distribute more than $16 billion in grants to provide economic relief for shuttered venues.
Realizing the devastating impact on organizations, as well as on individual gig workers and artists, American for the Arts, Chief Counsel and Arts Action Fund Executive Director Nina Ozlu Tunceli dedicated more than 1,400 hours to providing support to thousands of arts organizations and artists as they navigated the eligibility and application process for emergency funding through state unemployment, Payroll Protection Program, SBA (EIDL loans), rent subsidies, SVOG application process, NEA grants, and ARPA re-granted funds.
American for the Arts also worked with national, state, and local partners to identify that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was best equipped to deliver federal funding quickly and efficiently to the arts community. This advocacy resulted in the NEA receiving $135 million through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) “to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the coronavirus,” 40% of which was grants to state art agencies and regional arts organizations. A second NEA grant of more than $20 million was provided for subgranting by local agencies (by application) to distribute in their communities for saving and creating jobs, funding operations and facilities, health and safety supplies, and marketing and promotional efforts.
- The Department of Economic Development, Salt Lake City Corporation executed its funding to help 35 artists create impactful public projects that empowered these artists during the harsh economic reality of the pandemic. The individual artist grants have now supported over 280 local artists.
- The City of Evanston, Illinois’ Arts Council used their $135,000 to subgrant 40 percent of their awards to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) led organizations, citing the need to deepen relationships as “allies in practice, not just in word”.
American for the Arts dedicated support of its partners and local arts agencies—from guiding them through the application processes to helping them sub-grant the funds to local artists and organizations—proved to be valuable connections for serving communities in a time of need.
59% of recipients are AFTA members.
53% of recipients are AEP6 partners.
45% of recipients attended AFTA’s COVID Relief Webinar.
- Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Chief Counsel, Government and Public Affairs & Executive Director of the Americans for the Arts Action Fund
- Tooshar Swain, Director, Public Policy
- Jay Dick, Senior Director, Equitable Advocacy and Partnerships
- Olivia Tarpley, Public Policy Manager
- Morgan Furnari, Arts Action Fund Managing Contractor
Customized advocacy training for arts leaders across the country
Monthly Grassroots meetings for state and district federal arts advocacy captains
Congressional briefing on the findings from AEP6 Study with Senator Susan Collins, Senator Jack Reed, and Representative Debbie Dingell
National Arts in Education Week webinar with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici
Many local arts agencies work with a variety of partners and artists through in-person and virtual gatherings to spark discussion of the arts’ social, economic, cultural, and educational impact.
Engagement
Art transforms lives!
Local arts agencies are the backbone of community arts. They understand their towns’ unique personalities and their needs. Their programs, policy and practices expand access to arts and culture for all in communities when people need it most.
Americans for the Arts highlights the vital role of local arts agencies and helps to advocate for the resources they require. By receiving adequate support, these agencies are able to demonstrate the invaluable influence of the arts on communities at a local level.
We equip these local arts agencies to demonstrate the value of the arts when forging community partnerships, thus strengthening vital arts advocacy nationwide from the ground up.
Engagement
MEET ARTS LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY
National advocacy sets the stage, but lasting change happens locally. Our collective voices shape policy and funding at every level.
Americans for the Arts provided new opportunities for learning and connection between local arts agencies and arts advocates in 2023.
In addition to hosting over 50 virtual or in-person gatherings, Americans for the Arts also launched new monthly membership events. The six Member-to-Member Dialogues provided space for arts administrators, educators, artists, and advocates to engage in focused conversation about the social, economic, cultural, and educational power of the arts. In alternating months, members met with Americans for the Arts staff in Office Hours sessions to hear key updates about ongoing advocacy and research, and ask questions during an open Q&A.
Cynthia Rivarde, CEO, Rockville Economic Development, Inc
Local Arts Agencies Supporting Individual Artists
Americans for the Arts aims to serve local arts agencies, and artists.
To understand how to better serve local arts agencies in their support of artists, a series of virtual interactive sessions were created where the arts and culture organizations exchanged with each other, experts, and Americans for the Arts, on equitable practices for supporting individual artists.
The first two sessions held space for artists to voice their current challenges, needs, and concerns, while the second two allowed local arts agencies to respond to insights and learnings from the artists.
Learn more here: https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/advancing-arts-locally/local-arts-agencies-supporting-individual-artists
We appreciate the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation’s support, guidance, and partnership in this work.
Peer-to-Peer Engagement
Many local arts agencies work with a wide variety of community partners to incorporate arts and culture into the physical and social character of public spaces. To encourage the growth of regional partnerships that explore timely issues affecting creative placemaking, Americans for the Arts pledged a $2,500 sponsorship plus member expenses to send five local arts leaders to the Creative Placemaking Communities Summit in Jersey City, NJ.
Creative Placemaking Communities Summit Program Participants
• John Cusano, Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County
• Tom Werder, Morris Arts
• Patrick Mullins, Arts Alliance (Norfolk, VA)
• Lisa Mariam, ArtsFairfax
• Amanda Roy, Greater Hartford Arts Council
“I convened a group of colleagues from outside my agency to talk through lessons learned and strategize how we could use some of the tactics presented at the conference. I’ve met with 2 presenters who are also consultants about our artist census project.”
Lisa Mariam, former Senior Director of Grants and Services, ArtsFairfax
Keep an eye out for more information about how this program expanded its reach in 2024.
50+ Gatherings
5,350 Local, State, and Federal Arts Voices
(Spokespersons)
Strategic Communications
The arts impact lives in countless unseen ways. That’s why diverse, interconnected support systems are essential to nurture arts holistically.
As a network of networks, we unite arts advocates across the nation, bound by our shared goal of equitable access to the arts. The arts remain at the center of this structure, holding us all together and connecting communities.
We support approximately 4,000 local arts agencies and partners in this work, continuously connecting advocates from around the nation. As we expand this network, we welcome new allies and innovators. Each lends a fresh perspective, enriching our understanding of the arts’ role in social justice, healthcare, urban planning, education, and much more.
Average Impressions:
+1.5m (per month)
Social Media Audience Growth: +14K new followers
Social Media Organic Growth: +820 new followers per month
Partnerships
Achieving our vision of broad public support for the arts requires all voices and partners united in purpose. When we are all aligned, we can advocate effectively for the policy and funding to support vibrant, equitable arts nationwide.
By engaging policymakers, educators, philanthropists, or community leaders, we appeal to their unique capacities to leverage support, while ensuring that historically marginalized communities are represented and supported. Their vital perspectives guide our advocacy to gain equitable access to the arts.
Partnership
From 2018-2023, Americans for the Arts served as a cooperator for Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and the state and local arts agencies.
The program places creative arts therapies at the core of patient-centered care at clinical sites throughout the country, including telehealth services, and increases access to community arts activities to promote health, well-being and quality of life for military service members, veterans, and their families and caregivers.
Click here to learn about the exciting new phase of the Creative Forces initiative.
Americans for the Arts partnered with Free People to distribute ten $4,000 and two $1,500 awards to public school educators through the Creative Spirit Fund.
Students, parents, and teachers nominated arts educators in their local communities to receive funding that they can use to purchase supplies and equipment that nurture the creativity of students.
Free People & Americans for the Arts Creative Spirit Winners:
Community-based events supported by AFTA:
- First City Summit of the Americas | Denver, CO
- National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Convention | Austin, TX
- Arts KC, Art + Health and Wellbeing Summit | Kansas City, MO
- Arts in Education Week Community Conversation @ We Act RadIo | Anacostia, DC
- Supernova International Ska Festival, Ft. Monroe, VA
- Taste of Peru, Washington, D.C.
- Grammy Museum Special Screening of Heart & Soul: A Love Story, Los Angeles , CA
- Salsa Museum, The Bronx, NY
- Indigenous Peoples Day, NYC
- National Planning Conference | Philadelphia, PA
- U.S. Conference of Mayors |Columbus, OH
- Small Town America Institute for Rural Arts & Culture |Mount Sterling, KY
- Mississippi State Arts Conference| Jackson, MS
- National Independent Venue Association Conference| Washington, D.C.
- Chamber of Commerce State of the Economy Breakfast | Eugene, OR
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Conference | Washington, D.C.
- The Conference Board Corporate Citizenship Cmte Meeting | Corning, NY
Learn about the Social, Cultural, Economic, and Educational Values of the Arts!
People & Culture
Step by step, we evolve our practices and partnerships to better serve our mission and the arts and culture community.
Legacy Story
For arts to stay relevant, arts organizations and creators must recognize challenges before they unfold.
By proactively identifying emerging issues and trends, maintaining flexibility, and responding with agility and innovation, we can strengthen our resilience in navigating crises and evolving social tides.
Relevancy calls for us to recognize when traditional practices no longer align with our goals. As an organization, our commitment is to foster greater inclusivity, encourage active participation, and mirror the diverse identities within the communities we serve.
While change is inevitable, our commitment to provide equitable support for the arts and those who champion them remains unwavering.
Meet The Staff
Colin Ball
Dahye “GiGi” Ban
Nolen V. Bivens
Tracy Brown
Regina Burgher
Jay H. Dick
Heather Flanagan
Betsy Franz
April Harris
Mandi Lee
Mital Lyons-Warren
Maggy Moise-Thomas
Cari Mozur
Mariaesmeralda Paguaga
Chloe Pantophlet
Connie Perez
Noemi Sepulveda
Elizabeth Stevens
Dr. Genna Styles-Lyas
Tooshar Swain
Olivia Tarpley
Nina Ozlu Tunceli
Ben Davidson
Randy Cohen
Leadership
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
Thank you for believing in us and being the cornerstone of our creative journey, both now and in the future.
Contact Us
Americans for the Arts
1275 K Street, NW Suite 1200 Washington, D.C. 20005
AmericansForTheArts.org
@Americans4Arts
Produced by Americans for the Arts’ Office of Strategic Communication and Innovation