Write Your Members of Congress to Support Arts Funding

On May 7 President Obama released the final details of his FY 2010 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. Write your members of Congress and tell them to support funding for these cultural agencies.

The president's proposed funding of $161 million would take the NEA to its highest funding level in 15 years and will help continue the upward trend of budgetary growth that Congress established several years ago. In contrast to the previous administration, this year's budget includes funding for the Arts in Education program at the Department of Education at $38.16 million, which continues level in the 2010 budget.

A breakdown of the President's budget request is as follows:

Federally Funded Arts Program	FY 2009 Enacted Appropriations (in millions)	FY 2010 President's Budget Request (in millions)
National Endowment for the Arts	$155	$161
National Endowment for the Humanities	$155	$161
Institute of Museum and Library Services	$274.8*	$266
U.S. Dept. of Education's Arts in Education	$38.1	$38.1

*includes $11 million in Congressional earmarks 

Next Steps

As you know, the President's budget is the first step in the appropriations process. 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. 

Arts advocates can make their voices heard by writing their members of Congress and urging them to support funding for arts and culture through the NEA and increase funding for arts in education programs. We have linked you through to a customizable letter, as well as several talking points to help you craft your message. We recommend you add your own thoughts and stories about why the arts are important to you and your community.

If you wish to get regular updates and alerts on funding of arts and culture at the Federal level, your can become an official member of the Arts Action Fund. Play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today -- It's free and simple.