Advocacy

ARTWorks for Kids' long-term goal is to increase public funding for youth arts. Our strategy is to build a coalition; increase the individual major donor base of our grantees; and support this strengthened coalition to influence public resources. We intend to make the case for public investment in youth arts, to build a vocal and knowledgeable constituency of arts advocates, and to cultivate policy shapers.

To educate policy shapers and grassroots organizations about the importance of this significant work, we collected salient research and carried our key points to public officials and major donors. Making the Policy Case for Public Investment in Youth Arts has been hailed as a valuable publication by leading arts organizations such as Americans for the Arts.

Our coalition members are using this message and their experience to create and deepen relationships with public officials by hosting site visits, advocating at the State House, and more. Their work has identified new ways to increase resources for the youth arts sector. A few examples:

1. ARTWorks for Kids was an early investor in the Boston Public Schools Arts Expansion Initiative. Supported by a team of funders and community leaders, BPS Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson is leading an effort to increase access and equity to arts education for Boston's school children. Read the press release and progress report.
2. In partnership with ARTWorks for Kids, Cambridge City Councilor E. Denise Simmons is developing a One for the Arts program, which will offer Cambridge residents the opportunity to contribute to a new trust to support youth arts.
3. ARTWorks sponsored a breakfast at the Massachusetts State House honoring 2010 Coming Up Taller Award winners. Attendees went on to participate in the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership Advocacy Day and had the opportunity to meet with their legislators to advocate for public support for youth arts, such as increasing funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

To learn more, visit:

Americans for the Arts

Arts|Learning

Arts Education Partnership

EdVestors (Invest/Strategic Initiatives/Arts Expansion Initiative)

Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities

Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership

Massachusetts Cultural Council

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies

National Endowment for the Arts