THE CREATIVE COALITION COMMENDS CONGRESS FOR PROPOSED FUNDING INCREASE TO SUPPORT NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA)
June 28, 2021 (Washington, DC) – The Creative Coalition thanks the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies for proposing to fund the National Endowment for the Arts at President Biden’s requested level of $201 million for Fiscal Year 2022. This amount represents an increase of $33.5 million over current funding levels and would be the highest funding amount in real dollars the Endowment has ever received from Congress.
Earlier this month, The Creative Coalition’s 2021 #RightToBearArts Capitol Hill Day delegates advocated for the same level of funding when they met virtually with legislators. This historic level of funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is critical as our nation recovers from the pandemic. Not only will it assist small venues and organizations resume their artistic programming, it also will provide citizens with the chance to once again gather together and share arts experiences. For many organizations that do not have access to philanthropic resources, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts serve as seed funding that allows them to leverage dollars they might not otherwise receive from the private sector.
Tim Daly, Actor and President of The Creative Coalition, said, “We thank the House of Representatives for recognizing the impact of the arts on society. The arts and arts education have the power to restore students emotionally and academically. They also have the power to help society emerge from the isolation we have experienced over the past year.”
“The arts provide comfort, resilience, wisdom, and the means for self-expression and connection, perhaps even more so during challenging times such as these,” said Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition. “The arts, whether through books, painting, movies, or online performances and programs, have been a sustaining force for many throughout the pandemic. Now, Congress must provide the resources to give people the chance to once again gather with one another to share in the arts.”
Today’s action in the House is just the first step in determining the final funding level for the Endowment for the upcoming fiscal year. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to approve the funding level later this week and it will go before the full House this summer. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittees have not yet released their funding proposals. The Creative Coalition urges all citizens to continue calling on Congress to fund the National Endowment for the Arts at $201 million in Fiscal Year 2022.
Media contact:
Seth Adam, The Lead PR
e. seth@theleadpr.com
c. (661) 803-4465
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THE CREATIVE COALITION is the premier nonprofit, 501(c)(3) nonpartisan charity of the entertainment industry dedicated to using the power and platform of the arts and entertainment communities in award-winning public service and advocacy campaigns. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating its members on issues of public importance. Actor Tim Daly serves as the organization’s president. www.TheCreativeCoalition.org