Arts Action Fund

The arts belong in the 2026 election conversation.

On May 26, Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund are hosting the next webinar in our ArtsVote series:

ArtsVote: Ask the Right Questions
Engaging Candidates in Your Community

Whether you’re an arts advocate, nonprofit leader, educator, or community organizer, this session will provide practical tools for engaging candidates safely, effectively, and nonpartisanly during election season.

Topics include:
→ Candidate questionnaires
→ Town halls and public forums
→ Hosting candidate events
→ Elevating arts issues in your community
→ 501(c)(3) election-year compliance

Because advocacy is a year-round activity — and every community deserves arts champions.

May 26 | 2:00–3:00pm ET

Register: https://bit.ly/4dd0nDl

Meet the voices of AFTACON 2026.

Molly Ringwald on arts and democracy. Yosi Sergant on art as organizing. Dr. Shelly Lowe on Indigenous knowledge as cultural foundation. Julián Castro on creative communities and civic life.

Diversity of thought, of medium, and of experience — organizing for impact.

These are just a few of the voices coming together in Albuquerque, NM, June 2-5.

Registration closes May 18.

Full lineup in the comments.

Americans for the Arts works year-round with policymakers to advance federal arts policy.

But effective advocacy starts with a simple question: Are we focused on what the field actually needs right now?

That’s why we launched the 2026 National Arts Policy Survey — five straightforward questions to help us align our priorities with yours.

The survey covers:

→ Federal investment in the NEA, NEH, and cultural infrastructure
→ Arts in the economy and creative workforce support
→ Artist income stability
→ Arts education from pre-K through higher ed
→ Arts in health and human services

There’s also space to share your story. Because the data makes the case — but the stories make it matter.

Two minutes. Your perspective. Directly shapes our federal policy agenda.

SURVEY LINK: https://bit.ly/48kT61m

Can your arts organization register voters?

Can you host a candidate forum?

Can you run a Get out the Vote campaign, and still stay within your 501(c)3 status?

If you’re not 100% sure, you’re not alone. Getting clarity on how to play by the rules matters.

Join us April 29 at 3:00pm ET for a free ArtsVote webinar with two experts who can walk you through exactly what your organization can and can't do this election season:

→ Monika Graham, Alliance for Justice Bolder Advocacy
→ Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Executive Director, Arts Action Fund

Register your spot today! 🔗 https://bit.ly/4vJfBak

For most arts organizations, making advocacy a year-round priority can be a real challenge.

Here are a few strategies worth considering:

✅ Consistent touchpoints over constant meetings.
Field office check-ins, strategic emails, program invitations. Build presence without creating entirely new workstreams.

✅ Your work IS the advocacy.
Invite elected officials to your next opening, performance, or program. When they experience your work firsthand, impact speaks louder than any briefing—and they often become champions themselves.

✅ Stories first, data second.
Decision-makers remember human impact. Lead with authentic stories, back them with data.

You are not alone in this work. We're here—mobilizing year-round, equipping advocates, and building the collective power that turns local impact into national investment. (Here’s a pic from a recent Legislative Fly-in — and advocates will be on Capitol Hill with us next week, making the case for the arts!)

Share your approach—what’s one advocacy strategy you’re prioritizing this year?

The President’s FY27 Budget Request proposes closing the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services—a direct threat to our country’s cultural and economic fabric.

Arts and culture advocates know this federal funding is essential. Here’s a statement from our CEO, Erin Harkey:

“The administration’s proposal to dismantle our national cultural infrastructure by closing the NEA, NEH, and IMLS is a direct assault on the creative, social, and economic fabric of this country. These agencies are not line items. They are central to our communities, and our shared identity.

Americans for the Arts stands firmly behind the professionals who steward these resources and the people they serve every day. The arts are a $1.2 trillion driver of our economy, supporting 5.4 million jobs nationwide. Federal cultural grants reach every Congressional district—supporting veterans, students, and rural communities that are too often overlooked.

We’ve been here before. It’s exhausting to keep fighting the same fight, but communities across the country are paying attention—and they’re mobilizing. Our resolve is stronger than ever.

Thankfully, bipartisan majorities in Congress reaffirmed the importance of the creative sector in Fiscal Year 2026 by fully funding the NEA, NEH, and other federal cultural agencies. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of sustained, collective advocacy from people across the country who understand what’s important.

And we’re not done. Americans for the Arts will continue working alongside bipartisan leadership on Capitol Hill—and with advocates in communities nationwide—to push forward. We are calling for $213 million for both the NEA and NEH in FY27. Because this is about protecting not just funding, but access, opportunity, and the cultural life of this country.”

Take action! Ask Congress to fund these vital cultural agencies: https://bit.ly/41uz7cL

Americans for the Arts is proud to announce new leadership for our Board of Directors.

Kristina Newman-Scott has been named Chair, joined by Marc Folk as Vice Chair, Theo Edmonds as Secretary, and Robert Newman III as Treasurer.

These are not new faces to Americans for the Arts. They are trusted leaders who have dedicated years to this organization and to the broader arts and culture sector—now stepping into new roles at a pivotal moment.

Kristina Newman-Scott brings more than two decades of experience across arts, culture, and philanthropy. As Vice President for Arts at Knight Foundation—which has invested more than $495 million in the arts since 2005—she has championed the arts as essential civic infrastructure and a driver of thriving communities.

"At a time when the arts are both under pressure and full of possibility, their leadership will help us champion policies, investments, and partnerships that ensure artists and cultural organizations can thrive in every community.” — Erin Harkey, CEO, Americans for the Arts

Joining her on the Executive Committee:

→ Marc Folk, President and CEO of The Arts Commission in Toledo—a nationally recognized leader with more than three decades advancing arts, culture, and community development

→ Theo Edmonds, Creative Executive in Residence at UCCS—a Culture Futurist and systems innovator leading the development of WREN Institute at the intersection of arts, science, and emerging technology

→ Robert Newman III, Director and Lead Curator of Artfullwalls Fine Art Gallery in Harlem—a cultural strategist, curator, and visual artist bringing deep community roots to the work

We also extend our deepest gratitude to outgoing Chair Edgar Smith, whose steady leadership strengthened our national advocacy efforts and guided key transitions during a critical period for the organization.

Together, this executive committee reflects our commitment to building a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient arts ecosystem—one where the arts are recognized as essential to economic vitality, civic life, and thriving communities nationwide.

We are ready for what’s ahead.

To our advocates: thank you. Your voices made the difference.

Congress has passed FY26 funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities at $207 million each - holding steady with no cuts despite another zero-out request in the President’s budget.
The votes:
House: 397-28
Senate: 82-15

This bipartisan victory happened because of you:
18,000 messages from supporters like you. Strategic fly-ins. Calls, emails, and Capitol Hill meetings throughout the appropriations process.

Why federal arts funding matters:
➡️ A 397-28 House vote and 82-15 Senate vote show that support for the arts transcends politics
➡️ The NEA serves every Congressional district - reaching 678 more counties than private foundations
➡️ Nearly 4,000 communities supported each year, with 41 million Americans attending NEA-funded arts events annually
➡️ Every federal dollar generates $500M+ in matching support

Thank you to the Members of Congress who stood with the arts community and voted to protect this essential funding.

What’s next:
This funding matters, but our work continues. The State of the Union is scheduled for February 26th, which means the President’s FY 2027 budget will be released shortly after. We’re already engaging with Members of Congress on next year’s appropriations—and we’ll need your voices again.

Stay connected with us for timely updates on how to stay involved in the FY27 cycle.

Our Executive Director is proud to be headed to Washington, D.C. to meet with our Members of Congress so they hear directly from us about the arts and its economic impact to our state and its importance to our cultural economy. We want them to understand how their decisions impact the people and communities they serve AND how they can better support us at the federal level.

We are looking forward to being on Capitol Hill as Louisiana’s State Captain with Americans for the Arts and Arts Action Fund, advocating for the arts policies we believe in.