The Creative Coalition Organizes PSA Campaign to Support Funding of Arts

Entertainment community joins to applaud economic stimulus for the arts

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 17, 2009) — Support for the arts is not a luxury.  The Creative Coalition is spearheading a grassroots campaign that utilizes the platform of the entertainment industry to spotlight the critical need, both culturally and economically, for the arts to flourish in this nation.  “It Starts With the Arts,” a print and broadcast PSA campaign by The Creative Coalition, is directed by actor/producer/director Fisher Stevens (Crazy Love, The Cove) and is being conducted with support from Hachette Filipacchi Media.

The campaign will be shot on February 18th, 19th and 20th (Wednesday through Friday) from 10am to 5pm at HAVEN, 360 Trousdale Place, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Participants include actor and Creative Coalition Co-President Tim Daly, Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson, Dana Delany, Kerry Washington, Alfre Woodard, Zooey Deschanel, Alyssa Milano, and David Hyde Pierce, among others.  Elementary school students from the Los Angeles Unified School District also will be participating.

“President Obama, the new Administration and Congress have demonstrated their understanding of how important it is to support the arts, especially during this time of economic struggle. The Creative Coalition’s PSA will serve as a cornerstone to educate, activate and motivate citizens and elected officials to support the arts in their community and as a critical part of the educational curriculum,” said Robin Bronk, Executive Director of The Creative Coalition.

“In days past, when faced with a collapsing economy, President Franklin Roosevelt created programs that put Americans in all lines of work back on the job. President Roosevelt also instituted initiatives designed to put federal funds into the arts, employing America’s creative talent and leaving a cultural legacy that still endures today and put thousands of Americans to work in the arts creating a lifeline for thousands of artists. It created much-needed jobs in the immediate term and fostered great talents that otherwise may have been lost,” continued Bronk, “The work of the many great artists supported by the government in the 1930s still benefits us today. Their contributions to our culture endure, and their successful careers resulted in employment for many others in the years that followed.”

In addition to direction by Mr. Stevens, “It Starts With the Arts” credits include a script by actor/director/producer John Krokidas (HBO’s Slo-Mo , Jack  and Hill, a viral video for Hillary Clinton starring Jack Nicholson) and cinematography by Aengus James (Barry Levinson’s documentary Poliwood, PBS’ Travelscope).

About The Creative Coalition (www.thecreativecoalition.org)
The Creative Coalition is the premiere 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance, primarily the First Amendment, public education and arts advocacy and is headquartered in New York City.

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