Arts Advocacy Day 2005
12/6/04
1. Save the Date! Minnesota’s Arts Advocacy Day will be Feb. 22, 2005:
Plans are now being made for the next Arts Advocacy Day that will be held in St. Paul at the the State Capitol on Feb. 22, 2005.
Arts Advocacy Day is our chance to gather together, learn about the arts in Minnesota, and visit with legislators about the importance of supporting Minnesota’s arts community. It’s the best arts networking opportunity of the year!
More information is available on MCA’s website and will be updated as we get closer to the big day. Join us!
FYI: National Arts Advocacy Day will be March 14-15, 2005. If you would be interesting in joining the MCA team in Washington D.C., contact Sheila Smith at 651-251-0868.
2. Internship Available at MCA
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA), a effective state arts advocacy organization that lobbies for the arts in Minnesota, seeks an intern to begin January, 2005. The position is part-time and flexible (approximately 20 hours per week), and pays a small hourly stipend.
MCA represents the arts community of Minnesota at the state legislature and lobbies for state funding of the arts, as well as other issues of concern to the non-profit arts community. MCA also advocates for the National Endowment for the Arts. To lobby effectively, MCA organizes grassroots advocacy around the state and keeps constituents educated and informed about the political process and the current state of arts funding throughout the year.
Interns will have exposure to and opportunities to interact with some of the movers and shakers in the arts community, and will gain a working knowledge of the legislative process, arts funding structures in Minnesota and the basic functions of running a nonprofit. Perks include many opportunities to advance in the arts and/or political community.
Duties and projects included in the internship:
Assist staff in coordinating Arts Advocacy Day, MCA’s annual day at the State Capitol. In 2003 approximately 1,000 people attended.
Work with staff on current projects including grassroots organizing, candidate meetings, voter education, board meeting preparation, filing and data entry.
Collaborate with staff to strengthen MCA’s new “Campus Arts Advocates Network” a statewide initiative to involve more young people in arts advocacy through MCA.
Interns may also have the opportunity to identify and take on projects of interest that relate to arts advocacy.
A qualified applicant would possess the following skills:
Understanding of the political process. Past political experience preferred.
Interest in working with the arts community.
Good communication skills, especially speaking with people on the phone.
A self-starting, positive, self-motivated personality and a sense of humor.
Good organizational skills and the ability to perform many tasks simultaneously.
Computer literacy; preferably experience with Macintosh, Microsoft Word & Excel and database systems.
Independent and creative work habits.
APPLY NOW. Please mail or email resume and cover letter by December 22, 2004 to:
Kate Hannaher
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
2233 University Avenue West, Suite 355 St. Paul, MN 55114
mca@mtn.org
Join Our Arts Advocacy Family
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is funded entirely by the dues of its members. Do you appreciate receiving up to the minute news on the fate of the arts in the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress? We could not provide Arts Alerts if it weren’t for the wonderful and committed arts advocates who show their commitment by joining MCA. You can join by printing out the membership form on our website at http://www.mtn.org/mca. Individual dues are just $30, and a household membership is just $40. Thank you!
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is a non-partisan statewide arts advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure opportunity for all people to have access to and involvement in the arts. MCA organizes the arts community and lobbies the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress on issues pertaining to the nonprofit arts. If you are interested in learning more about how to advocate for the arts, or how to activate people in your arts organization or community to lobby for the arts, please call us at 651-251-0868 or e-mail mca@mtn.org.