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By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Hello Arts Advocate,
While fiscal year (FY) 2020 began on Oct. 1, the U.S. Congress must still pass the 12 appropriation bills to fund the government through Sept. 30, 2020 (the government is currently operating under a continuing resolution [CR] through Nov. 21). At least one of your U.S. Senators sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee. They need to hear from you now about your support for robust federal arts funding and how it supports your community and state.
Last week, the U.S. Senate passed their version of the Interior Appropriations bill by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 84 – 9, that included $2 million in increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)! You may recall that the U.S. House bill, approved earlier this summer, provided a $12.5 million increase in funding to those agencies.
These positive results are the outcomes of grassroots advocacy—from Hill visits during the National Arts Action Summit, to the emails (like this one) advocates have been sending to their congressional delegation throughout the year.
As negotiations are ongoing to finish up FY 2020 funding, it is vital to call on U.S. Senate appropriators to include these remaining pro-arts funding levels in the final legislation.
This includes:
Bipartisan Senate passage of FY 2020 spending package that included the Interior Appropriations bill.
Education bill—includes arts education grant funds and a provision calling for maintaining a federal “report card” in arts education
Defense Department bill—includes language supporting creative arts therapies for service members
Veterans Department bill—includes language supporting creative arts therapies and $5 million for veterans
Justice Department bill—includes a provision supporting inclusion of arts-specific intervention strategies for juvenile justice programs
Please take two minutes to send your message to your U.S. Senators. Thank you for taking action to support these end-of-year funding priorities.
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By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
August 2019
News & Updates
Update on grant awards, Art in Public Places Roster now open and the first-ever tour of our State Capitol’s art collection!
Due to the new biennium budget process, the announcement of grant awards for the Operating Support and Arts Learning programs is delayed until September.
The Arts Commission is awaiting a final approved budget from the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Business Oregon fiscal office, as well as action by the Arts Commission board, so that grant awards can be finalized and distributed.
Final approval of grant awards is expected at the Arts Commission board meeting in early September. Official notification of application status and funding awards will happen after the Arts Commission board meets.
In recognition of the challenge presented by awards being announced after activity starts, the staff is developing a new timeline for the next funding cycle and may move the activity start period to Oct. 1.
Eric Asakawa plays the role made famous by Kevin Bacon in Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s current production of“Footloose” running through Sept. 1. Broadway Rose received a FY2019 Operating Supporting Grant award. Photo by Craig Mitchelldy.
Call to artists
Oregon Art in Public Places Roster now accepting applications
Regional, national and international artists are invited to submit qualifications for the Oregon Art in Public Places Roster for 2020-2022. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m., MDT (Mountain Daylight Time), on Tuesday, Sept. 10. All materials must be submitted through CaFE™.
The Oregon Arts Commission manages the Percent for Art program for the State of Oregon. The Oregon Art in Public Places Roster serves as a resource for Percent for Art selection panels to identify artists most suitable for specific project needs.
The Roster is completely refreshed every three years. Artist who were selected for a previous Oregon Art in Public Places Roster must reapply to be considered for the 2020-2022 Roster.
George Johanson, “Day and Night,” 2012. Acrylic and oil on canvas. Oregon Department of Transportation.
Corvallis artist Greg Pfarr exhibits in Governor’s Office
Corvallis artist Greg Pfarr will exhibit “A Sense of Place: Time, Memory and Imagination in the Pacific Northwest” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through Sept. 26. A “meet the artist” reception is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Place has always been a central focus of Greg’s art. He grew up roaming the woods and creeks of southern Ohio, where he found his first inspiration. Early backpacking experiences in the Smokey and Rocky Mountains convinced him that he had to live near wilderness. A move to Oregon in 1980 made it possible.
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is a “once in a lifetime” honor for selected Oregon artists.
Greg Pfarr, “Three Glaciers, Prince William Sound, Alaska,” 2014. Etching and woodcut. 24 x 36 inches (image). Courtesy the artist.
American Artist Appreciation Month
First-ever tours of State Capitol art offered in August
Explore the vast art collection inside the Oregon State Capitol during American Artist Appreciation Month in August. For the first time, State Capitol visitor services will provide guided tours of the Art of the Time Collection, publicly displayed throughout the building.
Tours will depart from the state seal in the rotunda at noon Monday through Friday,
Aug. 19-30. The collection includes more than 175 American (and many regional) artists, featured on the Percent for Art Collection website.
For a schedule of upcoming events and exhibits at the Capitol, visit www.oregoncapitol.com.
Sally Haley, “Camellias,” before 1979. Acrylic on canvas. Photo: Frank Miller.
At Liberty honors Royal Nebeker
Former Arts Commissioner and beloved Oregon artist Royal Nebeker (1945-2014) is being celebrated in a retrospective of his work on exhibit at At Liberty in Bend through September.
A prominent teacher, Nebeker left a tremendous legacy of work. A broad representation of his life’s work assembled for the tribute show.
Royal once said, “This process of painting resembles looking through a night window. I peer out, observing and at the same time see the reflection of the interior conditions of my own reality. It is my intent that as the viewer peers into my painting, he will not only see a visual record of meaning in my life, but will discover the reflection of meaning in their own, as in a night window.”
Pictured at the Royal Nebeker exhibit opening: (left to right) Kaari Vaughn, a founding partner of At Liberty; Sarah Nebeker, Royal’s widow and a Clatsop County Commissioner; Hannah Nebeker, Royal’s daughter; Rene Mitchell, a founding partner of At Liberty; Jenny Green, a founding partner of At Liberty; and Brian Wagner, Arts Commission community development coordinator. .
Florence public mural celebrates local culture
“Stitching Time, Weaving Cultures,” a public mural celebrating local culture and heritage, was recently dedicated in Florence. Commissioned by The City of Florence and the City’s Public Arts Committee, the mural was created by Portland artist-team Marino-Heidel Studios.
Almost three years in the making, the mural showcases folk arts and speaks to cultural interchange. It also “stitches” together ideas that represent the Florence area. The design incorporates the iconic Siuslaw Bridge and native flora and fauna of our region and pays homage to the Siuslaw people.
The project was a partnership between enthusiastic citizens, members of the PUD, Tribal leaders and City of Florence staff.
(Left to right) Harlan Springer of the Florence Public Arts Committee, Catherine Rickbone of the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts and Michal Dalton, Oregon Arts Commissioner.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Hello Advocates,
We have good and bad news this week as some major legislation we’ve been advocating for has passed, but other important bills are hanging in the balance.
Most of our legislative work is contained in the larger omnibus budget and program changes bills that are assembled and passed in the last few days of session. If the Legislature does not resume its business before June 30th, the date by which the body must adjourn—many of our priorities might be lost. Right now, there’s not much we can do since the political breakdown is occurring between the governor and the legislative leadership.
In good news, the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Oregon Arts Commission budgets were passed. Both agencies are funded at the governor’s recommended levels. We are working to find other ways to cover growing administrative costs estimated by agency leadership that were not approved and thus will impact the grant budget. Other good news—the House passed a tax credit package yesterday that includes renewal of the tax credit and extension of the special assessments for historic preservation. But this still needs to be approved by the Senate.
These bills were all moving along positively, so if the legislature resumes business, we expect good results:
— Renewal of the Cultural Trust tax credit for 6 years — Extension of special assessments for historic preservation for 2 years — 5 capital projects targeted for lottery bonding or General Fund contributions (Oregon Nikkei Center, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Cottage Theatre, High Desert Museum, and the Lincoln City Cultural Center) — Lifting the expiration of license plate revenue for marketing of the Trust
If you’ve been an advocate or used your voice in any way this year, THANK YOU. This year’s work in Salem is evidence that our Coalition and its supporters are crucial in ensuring Oregon’s arts and culture are protected. Please stay tuned for more news in the coming days.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Can you join the Cultural Advocacy Coalition in Salem on Tuesday, April 23rd for Arts & Cultural Advocacy Day? Join advocates from around the state with a strong showing of support for public funding of arts, heritage, humanities and cultural organizations in Oregon.
Our current legislative session will be halfway over and it is now time to connect with legislators and urge them to:
1) Renew the cultural tax credit that funds Oregon’s Cultural Trust
2) Keep the special assessments that protect historic property
3) Adequately fund the budgets of the Oregon Arts Commission, the Oregon Cultural Trust, and the State Office of Historic Preservation
4) Provide lottery backed bonds for capital construction projects supporting culture across the state.
Please register for Arts & Culture Advocacy Day by April 12th. The day will give you a chance to meet leaders from other cultural organizations, see cultural performances, receive advocacy training from experienced professionals, and help you petition your elected officials to include arts and culture in policy and budgeting priorities.
We hope to see you there! If you haven’t yet become a member of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition, we also urge you to do so. We are the only group advocating on these issues statewide for Oregonians.
Best,
Sue Hildick,
Executive Director
Cultural Advocacy Coalition
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Hello Friends of Arts and Culture in Oregon! The time to engage with policymakers is now!
We’ve been preparing for all the action in the 2019 legislative session and the opening move is coming on Monday, February 18th when the House Committee of Economic Development will hold a hearing on HB 2052 — a bill to extend the sunset on the cultural tax credit for the next ten years. We hope you will contact your legislators to encourage them to support HB 2052 and to share with them the priority that you and other Oregonians put on access to creative expression in this state.
Oregon is unique in the Nation in having the Cultural Trust but we are far from the $200 million fund that was originally envisioned. We need to collectively raise our voices in support of building this fund and using tax incentives to help do it — remember dollars in the Cultural Trust are distributed to every county and to tribal partners. This tax credit is an important engagement tool for this state and critical to our cultural ecosystem. Please add your voice! Best — Cultural Advocacy Coalition
Send your support letter for HB 2052 in by Friday, February 15th to: [email protected]
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
2019 is Criticalfor
Arts and Culture Funding in Oregon.
The month of December was busy for members of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition who were showcasing their holiday shows, exhibits, and events for Oregonians. In addition, several of our board members traveled to Salem in December to share our funding priorities with Governor Kate Brown. Together we face a critical year ahead in 2019 in that the cultural tax credit is set to expire and we are advocating for its renewal.
We are also advocating for renewal of important tax assessments on historic properties in Oregon, and several capital construction projects funded with lottery bonds representing small community theaters as well as major performing arts centers and museums. We need every legislator to hear from the Coalition and our members about the need to support creative expression in this state and making sure every corner of Oregon has access to culture with the help of public funding.
The cultural community can’t be passive about our future. We can’t adopt a “wait and see” approach—or we will be overcome by other organizations, interests and influencers seeking public dollars. If you care about the future of our cause, we need you to add your voice to our message: the Coalition will AMPLIFY that voice by showing strong statewide membership and support for public funding for arts and culture.
Take the time to act now. Please join us and learn how to get involved in 2019 by visiting our website at www.oregonculture.org.
Best,
Sue Hildick
Executive Director
P.S. The cultural tax credit renewal is HB 2052; the extension of historical preservation assessments is SB 48.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Hi Friend of Arts and Culture in Oregon:
I’m pleased to share that Oregon is one of the “Lucky 13” states in the nation in which all 5 of our U.S. House members and both of our Senators received excellent pro-arts grades in the 2018 Congressional Arts Report Card published by the Americans for the Arts ACTION Fund. Even better news: Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici was the only Member of Congress to receive a perfect score!
Congress currently appropriates just 47 cents per person to support the arts across the country. Yet a majority of Americans agree that Congress should double funding for the arts to $1 per person. We still have work to do both at the state and federal level and Oregon’s Cultural Advocacy Coalition is here to help raise visibility of the cultural sector and to advocate for deeper access to the arts for all Oregonians.
Please join us in thanking the Oregon congressional delegation for their strong support!
Best — Sue Hildick
PS – Showing I’m a rookie, my last email blast was my first at the Coalition and contained a broken link. Here is the photo it was supposed to have. I look forward to meeting you!
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Subject:
Goodbye and Hello
Date:
23 Jul 2018
Dear Friends,
It has been a privilege to serve as the Executive Director of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition since 2011 and it is time for me to transition to new opportunities for service to my community and state. This role has allowed me to support creative work, community engagement, historic preservation and Oregon culture in the Oregon Legislature. With your help, we have protected and modernized the Oregon Cultural Trust, expanded investment in cultural infrastructure, protected Oregon’s percent for art program and supported the health of our sector in policy and funding bills at every opportunity. Thank you to the cultural community for your tireless commitment to your work, but also for your advocacy, community engagement and friendship.
As I prepare to move on, I am happy to report I am leaving you in truly excellent hands. The Coalition board has hired a new Executive Director and a new lobbyist to serve your interests in Salem. Paul Cosgrove a veteran lobbyist with ties to the Coalition’s formation, will lead the Coalition’s efforts to renew the Historic Property Special Assessment program and the tax credit that funds the Oregon Cultural Trust in 2019. You will meet him during next year’s advocacy day, if not sooner and I am confident you will find him knowledgeable, engaging and effective.
Sue Hildick will take over as Executive Director on September 1. Sue comes to the Coalition with substantial nonprofit and political experience and will be getting up to speed on the intricacies of the cultural sector’s funding and policy work over the course of the summer. Sue’s background is perfectly suited to this work and she is experienced in achieving ambitious political goals in collaboration with engaged stakeholders and sector leaders. Since 2003 Sue has led the Chalkboard Project, a collaboration among major foundations focus on education outcomes. Hildick, a fourth generation Oregonian is passionate about building Oregon’s quality of life through creative, innovative public policy-making and investment. She has worked in many different sectors – nonprofit, philanthropy, government – and has learned collaborative problem-solving and leveraging of state and federal resources. Sue has a BA in government from Georgetown University and a MBA from Marylhurst University. Hildick’s awards while at Chalkboard include being named Nonprofit CEO of the Year by the Portland Business Journal, twice recognized as one of Oregon’s Fifty Leaders to Watch by Oregon Business Magazine, and named one of Oregon’s Fifty Power Women by Willamette Week.
When asked why she wanted to work with the Coalition Sue said, “Oregon is a state rich in many ways and prime among those ways is in its cultural assets. Preserving them, supporting them and seeding the development of the next generation of these resources is important to building and maintaining the fabric of our state. These assets crosscut our educational and economic goals and can weave together the Oregon story for each one of us. Working to tell this story and to make sure our cultural resources are recognized for their value and contribution to our key quality of life goals as Oregonians is why cultural advocacy is so important. I’m eager to work with the members of the CAC to learn more about their work and to help tell their story to policymakers.”
You can see why I am so confident you are going to love working with her.
Paul is equally passionate about the cultural sector, brings decades of experience and exceptional professional credentials. Born in Seattle, but raised in Klamath Falls and Clackamas County, Paul is an attorney licensed to practice in the states of Oregon (since 1981) and Washington (since 1984), Paul has been affiliated with Lindsay Hart, LLP since 1987. Paul leads the Lindsay Hart State Government Affairs team. The team represents leading national and local trade associations and companies before the Oregon Legislature, agencies and local governments. Paul attended Antioch College, Portland State University, and Western Washington University (Fairhaven College), where he got his BA with honors in 1974; he got his law degree from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in 1981. Paul has recently served as Chair of the Board of Directors of State Law Resources, an international network of independent law firms with special expertise in government affairs. He is a former President of the Capitol Club, the association of Oregon’s 400+ professional government relations advocates and has been named by Portland Magazine as one of Portland’s Best Lawyers in Government Affairs on every list published since 2008.
Paul and Sue will make an exceptional team and starting September 1, the Coalition will rest on their capable shoulders. Thanks again for your work and the opportunity to work with you to create a thriving environment for art, heritage and the humanities across Oregon.
All my best,
Christine Drazan
Executive Director
Cultural Advocacy Coalition
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
As a member of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition for more than a dozen years, I have seen how the Coalition’s dedication to our future has made a difference in protecting funding and reinvesting in culture and preservation in Oregon.
This session, through the hard work of your Coalition and the tenacity of engaged advocates, the legislature approved over $12 million in support for arts and culture organizations and projects statewide–$12,295,000 to be precise!
The work supported by these public funds will restore historic landmarks, expand access, strengthen community engagement, support innovation and fuel the creative economy.
In honor of the legislature’s investment in culture:let’s invest in cultural advocacy.
Starting today, through the end of this month, I am going to match the first $1,229.50 of new or increased membership donationsto the Coalition in celebration of this investment, which represents a renewed commitment to the work of cultural nonprofits across Oregon and a clear indicator of growing legislative awareness of the value of arts, heritage and the humanities.
I believe that the potential for greater success lies ahead. But we need your support today to take the next steps and build on this session’s achievements. Will you help?
You don’t have to double your gift to take advantage of my offer. Just increase your membership by any amount, invite a friend or colleague to join the Coalition for the first time, or join as an individual if your organization or business is a member but you aren’t. Take advantage of my offer today! Let’s strengthen cultural advocacy and celebrate this shared achievement together.
If you joined us for Advocacy Day this year you know the interim is the best time to strengthen relationships with legislators. The final gavel just dropped to close out the 2017 Session–and the Coalition is already at work reaching out to legislators to thank them for their investment and build the case for more support for culture in 2018 and renewal of the Cultural Trust Tax Credit in 2019.
The end of session is the beginning of the work still ahead. I hope in this moment of celebration, you will hear your own call to action and give generously for this work that is so vital to all of us.
John Tess
President, Heritage Consulting Group
Member, Cultural Advocacy Coalition
Trustee, Oregon Cultural Trust
PS. The legislature’s investment of $12,295,000 comes at a significant moment for arts and culture across our state and nation. I am excited to celebrate this accomplishment with you. I hope you will take advantage of my offer to match your new or increased gift to the Coalition before July 31, 2017. Join the cultural community in celebrating this accomplishment—and help strengthen cultural advocacy with a gift today!
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1966 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
It has been a busy session and I wanted to start by saying: Thank you! We have asked you to show up and speak up, over and over this year. We know there are so many pressing issues right now in our communities, in our legislature and in our nation’s Capitol. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to continue to participate. Your voice, your story, your support for arts and culture in Oregon makes a difference. Which is why I am asking for your help once again– to shake a bill loose from committee that will advance discussions in support of equitable access to arts education.
The Cultural Advocacy Coalition worked with stakeholders this session to propose legislation to better understand who has access to an arts education in Oregon schools; identify barriers to access and recommend changes needed to encourage access to the arts within a well-rounded education. We are excited to report that SB 313, which creates Oregon’s first ever Task Force on Equitable Access to Arts Education has had a public hearing in the Oregon Senate and was moved to the Joint Ways and Means Committee for funding.
This is great progress, but since that time, the bill has stalled in committee. We have heard from leadership that the Arts Education Task Force may get lumped in with other, more expensive, task forces and left to languish in committee without further action. We have a brief window of time to get this legislation moving again. Please take a moment to send a pre-written note to the members of the Joint Ways and Means Committee, or send a personalized message of your own, encouraging them to allow the bill to move forward.
Access to a quality arts education is central to a well-rounded education; raises graduation rates; lowers absenteeism; bolsters test scores and improves educational outcomes for low income and marginalized students.
Oregon’s first ever Task Force on Equitable Access to Arts Education would be made up of legislators, school leaders, parents, arts education providers, arts funders and teachers. This task force represents a first step toward improving access to arts education in Oregon, but without advocacy this bill won’t make it out of committee. We need advocacy now.
If you believe an arts education is important to a well-rounded, whole child education I hope you will take a moment to send a note to Members of the Joint Ways and Means Committee encouraging them to allow the bill to move.
With appreciation,
Christine Drazan
Executive Director
P.S. The legislation which creates the Equitable Access to Arts Education Task Force can be found here. To find out which arts disciplines are offered in your school district check here.
