12/20/04

MCA Is Looking For Campus Arts Advocates

MCA is now recruiting CAMPUS ARTS ADVOCATES to connect students with our statewide network of arts supporters.

Jan 7th is the official Campus Arts Advocates kick-off party!

If you are a student at a Minnesota college or university, join us at the MCA office in St. Paul from 6 to 9 PM to:

meet and hang with other Campus Arts Advocates and the MCA staff
receive Advocacy training
get jazzed for Arts Advocacy Day
chow down on some pizza.
You must RSVP to Kate ASAP so we know how much pizza to bring: mca@mtn.org or 651.251.0868.

We have less than two months to prepare for a great Arts Advocacy Day - February 22nd - at the state capitol.

When you become a CAMPUS ARTS ADVOCATE, you get to:

network with artists and legislators in your district and across the state
broaden your knowledge of the statewide arts community
play an influential role in educating your peers on the legislative process surrounding arts funding
organize students to attend MCA events, including “Advocacy 101″ trainings, and MCA’s Annual Arts Advocacy Day at the State Capitol
**(Each “Campus Arts Advocate” will also receive an official MCA bumpersticker and t-shirt.)** This is not a time-intensive project, but it does require a diligent commitment to communication. If you or a student you know is interested in this opportunity, visit the MCA website at www.mtn.org/mca to sign up, and be sure to join us on January 7th!!!!

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.

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.

11/29/04

On Saturday, November 20, in a lame duck session, Congress finally completed FY 2005 funding with the passage of a giant $388 billion “omnibus bill”. The final bill was over 1,600 pages and weighed 14 pounds. Congress essentially froze all non-defense spending, allowing small increases in certain programs, and reducing or eliminating funding for numerous programs.

Fortunately, cultural funding was one of the few domestic spending areas that will realize some small increases.
For a comparison of funding between last year and this year see below:

National Endowment for the Arts:

FY 2004: $120.97 million
FY 2005: $121.27 million

The NEA increase will incorporate approximately $2 million for the new American Masterpieces program, which will sponsor presentations of the great American works across all art forms, and will reach large and small communities in all 50 states. The popular Challenge America programÊwill beÊfunded at approximately $21.5 million. Minnesota benefits from these dollars in two ways - a block grant that goes to the Minnesota State Arts Board, and from grants given to individual arts organizations across the state.

National Endowment for the Humanities:

FY 2004: $135.30 million
FY 2005: $138.06 million

Approximately $16 million of the NEH funding is for matching grants. The final bill specifically noted a decrease of $2 million for the ÒWe the PeopleÓ initiative.

Arts in Education programs through the U.S.ÊDepartment of Education:

FY 2004: $35.1 million
FY 2005: $35.6 million

Arts in Education funding is broken down specifically as follows: $7.4 million for Very Special Arts; $6.36 million for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; $7.9 million for model professional development grants for music, drama, dance and visual arts educators, and;Ê $500,000 for evaluation activities. The remaining $13.4 million is for the expansion of model arts programs, including a new grant competition.

Office of Museum Services:

FY 2004: $31.4 million
FY 2005: $34.8 million

Funding for OMS is broken downÊapproximately as follows: $17.85 million for Museums for America; $446,000 for museum assessment; $3.6 million for the Museum Conservation Program; $7.54 million for the Museum National Leadership Project; and $843,000 for Native American Museum services.

In addition to the funding detailed above, cultural agencies nationwide alsoÊsecured dozens of earmarks — local projects identified by name with specific funding allocations in the omnibus bill. It appears that at least $50 million will be administered to specific cultural organizations to fund museum initiatives, arts education programs and many other projects.

Thank you for all of your grassroots advocacy efforts this year.

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.

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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.
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http://www.mtn.org/mca

At our website you’ll find information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can be more involved.

11/19/04

1.How Does the Election Affect the Arts?

2.Happy Thanksgiving!

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1. The Affect of the Election on the Arts:

MINNESOTA

On the state level, there will be a shift of thirteen seats from Republican to Democratic control, leaving the house with a split of 68 seats for Republicans, 66 for Democrats. With such a close split, they will have to compromise. It means that neither side can say “my way or the highway” because they need eachother to accomplish anything. On the other hand, with an acrimonious election just a few months behind them, feelings may still run high when session begins. Look for fireworks.

The state will be facing another deficit, perhaps a billion dollars, which means they will either need to raise taxes and/or make cuts to balance the budget again. Gov. Pawlenty has continued to say he will not raise taxes, but there are now only a couple of dozen (out of 201) legislators who have signed the “No New Taxes” pledge. Still, policy wonks are predicting that the solution to the budget deficit will probably not include tax increases, although “fee” increases are highly likely. For the arts, as for all other spending other than education, that means that we will have to be vigilant about fighting off any attempted cuts. We will need a large presence at Arts Advocacy Day in February, and the help of every arts advocate to come out the other end of session in a strong position. Watch for opportunities to use MCA’s DESKTOP LOBBYIST to contact your legislators next session, and join us for Arts Advocacy Day.

U.S. CONGRESS

We won a small increase for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 2003. Minnesota has one of the highest success rates among all the states in competing for grants from National Endowment for the Arts, so it is to our state’s advantage when more funds are appropriated to the Endowment.

According to Americans for the Arts, ÒFederal arts policy is likely to stay on course.Ó No major shifts are anticipated that will negatively impact the arts. President Bush has recommended an $18 million increase to the NEA this year. However, the Interior bill, which funds the NEA, didn’t get passed by the Congress before they broke for the election. This week Congress has returned for a lame duck session to pass the funding bills they didn’t finish this summer, among them the Interior bill. The expectation is that they will roll this and all other funding bills into a giant omnibus bill to get the job done. It’s hard to predict if the NEA increase will survive, although the House has recommended that $10 million of the President’s increase be included in the final bill. We are waiting to find out what the result is.

As for Arts in Education funding, the President zeroed it out, (as he usually does), but it is expected to be funded.

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.

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2.Happy Thanksgiving!

Let’s give thanks for being a part of the greatest arts community in the country!

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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.
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http://www.mtn.org/mca

At our website you’ll find information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can be more involved.

10/27/04

WHERE DO I VOTE?

Check the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/election/index.html or call 651-296-2803.

WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES?

Check the League of Women Voter’s Website: http://www.lwvmn.org/EdFund/Election2004.asp or call 651-224-5445.

WHAT DO I BRING?

Identification: Preferably a current driver’s license or state id.
Don’t have those forms of id? Check http://www.sos.state.mn.us/election/faq.html#question4

WHAT IF THEY WON’T LET ME VOTE, OR I HAVE QUESTIONS?

Election Protection Minnesota, a coalition of 15 national partners including the Wellstone Action Fund has established a toll-free help line, 1-866-OUR-VOTE, which will serve as a resource for any citizen who has questions about the voting process and their voting rights.

WHAT IF I’M A VOTER WITH A DISABILITY?

The Minnesota Disability Law Center has also set up a voter helpline. If you are a voter with a disability and you have questions about voting or voting rights, OR you need assistance on Election Day, please utilize this hotline: 612-334-5785 x216 (metro area) or 1-800-292-4150 x 2216 (greater MN).

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family

Minnesota Citizens for the aris 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!

MCA is non-partisan and does not endorse any candidate for any office. We publish the candidate questionnaire as a service for our membership. 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 activating 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.

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http://www.mtn.org/mca

Look deeper into our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in Arts Facts.

10/21/04

Arts Report Card Gives Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation Mixed Grades

On October 18th, Americans for the Arts released its 2004 Congressional Arts Report Card for the entire U.S. House of Representatives. Each Member of Congress was assigned a letter grade and numerical score based on his or her record on numerous arts and arts education policy issues. In addition, each state and region received an average score for it’s delegation’s support for the arts..

Minnesota received an overall grade of “B”, for a total ranking score of 64 out of 100 possible points. The Congressional Arts Report Card ranks Minnesota 19th in terms of it’s delegation’s overall support for the arts. The Congressional Arts Report Card also includes a detailed voting record on the arts for each member. Here are their scores:

Congressional District 1: Gil Gutknecht: Grade D, Score 13 out of 100

Congressional District 2: John Kline: Grade D, Score 5 out of 100

Congressional District 3: Jim Ramstad: Grade A, Score 98 out of 100

Congressional District 4: Betty McCollum: Grade A+, Score 100 out of 100

Congressional District 5: Martin Olav Sabo: Grade A, Score 98 out of 100

Congressional District 6: Mark Kennedy: Grade D, Score 9 out of 100

Congressional District 7: Collin Peterson: Grade A, Score 94 out of 100

Congressional District 8: James Oberstar: Grade A, Score 96 out of 100

Please visit the MCA website www.mtn.org/mca for more about your Congressperson’s individual grade and ranking score. Or check out this Minneapolis Star Tribune story on Minnesota’s grades, with comments from MCA’s lobbyist Larry Redmond.

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family

Minnesota Citizens for the aris 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!

MCA is non-partisan and does not endorse any candidate for any office. We publish the candidate questionnaire as a service for our membership. 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 activating 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.
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http://www.mtn.org/mca

Look deeper into our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in Arts Facts.

10/05/04

Educate yourself to vote for the arts!

This year, MCA surveyed every candidate for office, at both the state and federal level. (Only the Minnesota House and Minnesota’s US Congressional seats are up for election this year.) We have compiled and published verbatim all of the the responses we received on our website at:

http://www.mtn.org/mca

Smart voters will want to know as much as possible about all of the candidates and their opinions on a variety of issues. We’ve made it easier for you to find out what the candidates are saying about the arts by posting all of their responses to our survey on the web. Although some candidates did not respond, we got a very high participation rate this year. Of the 298 candidates for the Minnesota House, 178 candidates responded, or 60%. Out of 21 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, 12 candidates responded, or 57%. The questions asked of the candidates differed depending upon what office they are running for.

See how your local candidates responded by going to our website. If you don’t know your legislative district, please visit our Desktop Lobbyist to find your district number and to connect with your candidatesÕ responses to our survey regarding arts issues.

MCA is non-partisan and does not endorse any candidate for any office. We publish the candidate questionnaire as a service for our membership. 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 activating 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.

Below are the survey questions and responses for each question:

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Minnesota House of Representatives:

A wide majority of respondants participate in the arts, support restoring arts funding, support tax policies that help charities, and agree that the arts are essential or important to the education of our children.

We asked all candidates for the Minnesota House the following questions:

1. MinnesotaÕs statewide arts community is one of the most vibrant in the United States. From the Minnesota Orchestra the Grand Marais Playhouse, from the Rochester Art Center to the Crookston Community Theater, residents in every part of the state are involved with the arts like no other time in our stateÕs history.

Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year? (check all that apply)
Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Candidate Responses: Music - 92.17% Theater - 83.73% Visual Arts - 68.67% Literary Arts - 39.16% Dance - 37.35% Other - 14.46%

2. The legislature has not appropriated an increase in funding for the arts for six years, from 1998 to 2003. On top of that, 4% of the arts appropriation was cut in 2002, and 32% of the appropriation was cut in 2003.

Question: Once state revenues improve, ending this period of deficit, would you support an increase in arts funding to account for inflation in recognition of the important role the arts and culture play in our economy and in our quality of life?
Candidate Responses: Enthusiastically Support - 50% Support - 39.16% Neutral - 6.02% Opposed - 1.2%

3. Nonprofit, tax exempt organizations provide social services, health services, education and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?
Candidate Responses: Agree - 96.39% Disagree - 0.60% No Opinion - 1.20%

4. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years.

Question: Do you agree with 95% of Minnesotans (based on a 1999 U of M Survey) who say that the arts are ÒessentialÓ or ÒimportantÓ to the education of our children?
Candidate Responses: Yes - 98.19% No - 1.20% No Opinion 0% US

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U. S. Congress:

A wide majority of respondants support increasing national funding for the arts, enthusiastically support strengthening arts education in our nation’s schools, and support fair market value artist deduction for donation of artworks to nonprofits.

We asked all candidates for US Congress the following questions:

1. The arts have a broad reach and economic impact in our district, creating business activity and jobs, which generate local, state, and federal tax revenue. Federal support through the National Endowment for the Arts leverages private funding to stimulate more artistic activity, improving the quality of life, educational achievement and economies of communities around the nation. Please see Americans for the Arts issue brief for further background: http://www.artsusa.org/issues/advocacy/advocacy_article.asp?id=1462

Question: Do you feel that funding for the National Endowment for the Arts should be:
a. maintained at the current level of $121 Million, or just 41 cents per person b. increased c. decreased
Candidate Responses: a.maintained - 25% b.increased - 66.67% c.decreased - 0% No response - 8.33%

2. Research shows that education in the arts improves studentsÕ academic achievement and leads to better attitudes and behavior. Since 1994, federal law has provided that the arts are a core curriculum subject. Since 2001, the U.S. Department of Education had supported direct funding for development, research and dissemination of model programs that demonstrate how excellent arts education can improve school wide teaching and learning, as well as for professional development for arts teachers. Please see Americans for the Arts issue brief for further background: http://www.artsusa.org/issues/advocacy/advocacy_article.asp?id=1462

Question: Do you support strengthening arts education in our nationÕs schools?
Specifically: a. Do you support maintaining the federal definition of arts as a core curriculum subject?
b. Do you support increasing funding beyond the current level of $35.1 million for the U.S. Department of EducationÕs programs?

Candidate Responses: 2a. Enthusiastically Support - 83.33% Support - 8.33% Neutral - 0% Opposed - 8.33%

2b. Enthusiastically Support - 66.67% Support - 8.33% Neutral - 16.67% Opposed - 8.33%

3. Under the current tax code, when artists donate works to an arts-related charitable organization such as a museum or library, they may claim a deduction only for the cost of the materials. Private collectors, on the other hand, may claim a deduction for the fair market value of the gift. The result of this inequity is that the public rarely benefits from gifts by artists to public collections. Please see Americans for the Arts issue brief for further background: http://www.artsusa.org/issues/advocacy/advocacy_article.asp?id=1462

Question: Do you support amending the tax code to encourage artists to donate their own works
to arts-related organizations that will use the gift to benefit the public?
Candidate Responses: Enthusiastically Support - 83.33% Support - 8.33% Neutral - 0% Opposed - 8.33%

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family

Minnesota Citizens for the aris 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!

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http://www.mtn.org/mca

Look deeper into our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in Arts Facts.

September 3, 2004

November 2- Nonprofits Get Out the Vote!

The Minnesota Participation Project is offering free training for people at non-profits who want to do non-partisan voter registration and get out the vote activities. Because these training opportunities are statewide and free, nonprofit arts organizations, and their staff and boards, may want to take advantage. The Minnesota Participation Project is creating a coalition of non-profits who are working together to make sure that the people they serve can and will get out to vote on November 2. Every American should turn out to vote.

The fate of the arts at the state capitol and congress will depend upon who gets elected on November 2, so if you or your organization are interested in getting more involved in non-partisan voter turnout activites, this is an easy way to join with many others in the non-profit sector. There is a big rally in the Twin Cities on Sept. 9th, and then trainings set up around the state for Sept. 13th.

The Minnesota Participation Project is an initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits with support from Grassroots Solutions. More details on these events from the Minnesota Participation Project are below:

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Twin Cities Rally:

Join us on September 9 to launch “November 2 - Nonprofits Get Out The Vote!”

Please join the Minnesota Participation Project’s launch of the November 2 Nonprofits Get Out The Vote drive. Have cake, enjoy music, and get free t-shirts, buttons, training, and materials that your nonprofit can use to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) on Election Day! The November 2 kick-off is a celebration of democracy and a demonstration of the power of nonprofits to increase civic participation - and you are at the heart of it!

Join us for the November 2 Launch party and enjoy:

Celebration and Music
Networking and refreshments
Free November 2 t-shirts
Where: Metro State University Great Hall, 700 E 7th St, Saint Paul

When: September 9, 2004, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

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Statewide Trainings:

Join us on September 13 to learn how you and your nonprofit can Get Out The Vote!

The Minnesota Participation Project is offering Get-Out-The-Vote trainings throughout the state for any organization interested - whether you have been working on voter mobilization all summer, or are just getting started! Free November 2 t-shirts will be provided, along with training materials.

When: Monday, September 13, 2004, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (most will be done by about 3:00, with time for questions and discussion from 3:00 - 4:00).

GOTV Training only:

Children’s Home Society, 1605 Eustis Street, Saint Paul
Launch Parties and GOTV Trainings in Greater Minnesota:

The Holiday Center, Holiday Inn, 200 West Superior Street, Duluth
Blue Earth County Library, 100 East Main Street, Mankato
Bremer Bank, 1100 W St. Germain Street, St. Cloud
Rochester Public Health Department, 2100 Campus Drive SE, Rochester City Hall
City Council Chambers, 500 Center Ave, Moorhead
Marshall/Lyon County Library, downstairs meeting room, 301 West Lyon Street, Marshall Ê
To RSVP for any of these events, or for more information, contact James, 651-645-2433, or e-mail james@grassrootssolutions.com These events are free and open to anyone interested in nonpartisan voter mobilization work. Please invite your friends and colleagues! For more information visit www.mncn.org/mpp/events.htm

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family

MCA 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. Individual dues are just $30, and a household membership is just $40. Thank you!

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http://www.mtn.org/mca

Look deeper into our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in the Arts Facts section of the website.

July 1, 2004

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts invites you to a public meeting about the role of the arts community in the 2004 election.

Monday, July 26, 2004
6:00 pm
Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis

Learn how to get involved by registering voters, volunteering on campaigns, and talking about the arts in campaign forums.

The entire Minnesota House of Representatives is up for election this November. The makeup of the Legislature has the biggest impact on how arts funding will fare in the 2005 session. If we hope to restore any of the funding cut from the arts, our community has to be involved in this election. Incumbents and challengers need to know that the arts are important to the voters of Minnesota. You have a role to play. We will teach you how to use your influence as a citizen, voter and arts advocate to affect change at the voting booth and the Legislature.

This event is free but you must RSVP in advance by calling 651-251-0868 or e-mailing mca@mtn.org. Space is limited!

If there is a positive response to this event, we will schedule more meetings in Greater Minnesota.

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family

MCA 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. Individual dues are just $30, and a household membership is just $40. Thank you!

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http://www.mtn.org/mca

Look deeper into our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in the Arts Facts section of the website.

6/17/04

Congratulations everyone! After about an hour of debate yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Congressional Arts Caucus Amendment by a vote of 241 to 185 at 6:10 pm. The amendment was sponsored jointly by Democrats and Republicans. By way of comparison, last year’s votes were 225 to 200 with 35 Republicans voting FOR the Arts Caucus Amendment. This year, 48 Republicans voted for the amendment.

The House also soundly defeated the Tancredo amendment, which would have decreased NEA funding by $60 million, by a vote of 112 to 313 at 6:20 pm. This is exactly the same vote count as last year for the Tancredo Amendment.

If it is also passed by the Senate, Minnesota will benefit from the increase in two ways: First, the block grant that comes to Minnesota will increase, and second, there will be more funds available for direct grants to arts organizations across the state of Minnesota.

Minnesotans voting WITH the arts:

Betty McCollum (CD4- DFL)
Jim Oberstar (CD8- DFL)
Collin Peterson (CD7- DFL)
Jim Ramstad (CD3- GOP)
Martin Sabo (CD5- DFL)

Minnesotans voting AGAINST the arts amendment:

Gil Gutknecht (CD1 - GOP)
John Kline (CD2-GOP)
Mark Kennedy (CD6- GOP)

Go to our DESKTOP LOBBYIST to send a note of thanks or disappointment to your member of Congress on their arts vote! The system will automatically generate a thank you if your member voted with the arts, or a letter of disappointment if they voted against us. It’s easy to do and takes just a couple of minutes. Let them know we are watching.

Here are some highlights of the arguments that Members of Congress made on the floor during debate.

Americans for the Arts’ Economic Impact research and the new Creative Industries research maps were cited numerous times. The fact that Americans for the Arts had delivered customized Creative Industry maps in the past 24 hours to every Congressional office was specifically mentioned.
Several members also spoke about wanting to support the President and Mrs. Bush’s request for a funding increase for both cultural agencies.
Also of note by Members was the impact of the NEA’s Shakespeare in American Communities and Operation Homecoming initiatives.
The arguments in opposition of the Arts Caucus Amendment were quite weak. Comments focused primarily on not asking taxpayers to subsidize the arts and to just let the arts be supported by consumers and patrons. Money would be better used for fighting forest fires and upkeep of national parks.

The Interior Appropriations bill as whole will likely be approved by the House later tonight. No other arts-related amendments are expected. The next step, as you know, is for the Senate to produce its own version of the bill. Preliminary action on the Senate side could come as early as next week. As of now, we don’t expect a Senate floor amendment on NEA funding. Of course, we will keep you posted and will let you know if there are appropriate steps to take.

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family MCA 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. Individual dues are just $30, and a household membership is just $40. Thank you!

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http://www.mtn.org/mca Look to our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in the Arts Facts section of the website.

6/15/04

1. TAKE ACTION to Help the Arts in Congress.

2. Minnesota’s Special Session Still on Hold

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1. TAKE ACTION to Help the Arts in Congress.

Overview:

In Washington D.C., the U.S. House of Representatives will begin hearing the FY 2005 Interior Appropriations bill this week, possibly as early as Wednesday evening. The bill includes funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). During floor debate, Members of the Congressional Arts Caucus will offer a bipartisan amendment to increase NEA and NEH funding, as they have done successfully for each of the past four years.

The amendment will be sponsored jointly by Democrats and Republicans, and will likely seek an additional $15 million for the NEA and $5 million for the NEH. Minnesota will benefit from the increase in two ways: First, the block grant that comes to Minnesota will increase, and second, there will be more funds available for direct grants to arts organizations across the state of Minnesota.

If this amendment is not passed, the NEA will be flat-funded at last year’s level of just over $120 million. In order to pass this amendment we must rely on you, our grassroots advocates, to contact your Representatives this week. By contacting your Representatives and urging them to support the arts, you’ll illustrate to them how important the arts are to your community and to their constituency. Last year’s amendment passed by a narrow vote of 225-200, and this year’s vote is expected to be just as close. It is therefore very important that your Representative hear from as many arts advocates as possible.

The good news is that we’ve made it very easy for you to send a quick and customized electronic message to your Representative by using our DESKTOP LOBBYIST! By clicking the link below you can easily send electronic messages tailored to how your House member voted on last year’s Congressional Arts Caucus Amendment. (In other words, if your Member voted Against increased NEA funding last year, we’ll automatically supply you with talking points which encourage them to support the amendment this year; if your Member voted For increased funding last year, your talking points will thank them for their previous efforts and encourage them to support the Arts Caucus Amendment again this year).

Follow this link to contact your Representative and urge them to vote for the Congressional Arts Caucus Amendment! It only takes two minutes to make a difference! Go to the DESKTOP LOBBYIST.

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2. Special Session Still on Hold

In Minnesota, the Governor, House and Senate have still not agreed upon terms for a Special Session. This means that our Arts and Culture Amendment may not have any other chances to come back to life this year. We’ll let you know if the Special Session shows any signs of life. In the meantime, it’s at the federal level that we can currently make the most headway for the arts. Please follow the link to our Desktop Lobbyist above and let your voice be heard!

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Join Our Arts Advocacy Family
MCA 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. Individual dues are just $30, and a household membership is just $40. Thank you!

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http://www.mtn.org/mca
Look to our website for an archive of arts alerts, information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved. The latest facts and figures about the arts community can be found in the Arts Facts section of the website.

5/17/04

Arts/Environment Bill Dies With New Threat of Gay Marriage Ban

Overview:

The Arts/Environment Bill that would have dedicated a small percentage of sales tax receipts to the arts and culture died yesterday morning. In all, we did much better in the Senate than in the House, passing out of three Senate committees on strong bipartisan votes.

In the Senate…

At our last report on Tuesday, May 11th, our bill had passed the Senate Finance and Tax Committees and were waiting for a hearing in the Senate Rules Committee. On Friday, May 14th, the Senate Rules Committee passed the Environment and Cultural Heritage bill to the Senate Floor. In that hearing, Sen. Pariseau moved to delete the arts from the bill again, but her motion failed. The bill moved out of committee on a voice vote, so I don’t have a list of who voted with us or against us, but it was noted that Sen. Pariseau voted against final passage of the bill, while friends, Senators Knutson and Frederickson (both Republicans) stayed with the arts throughout the hearing.

We then expected the bill to be heard on the Senate floor some time on Saturday, even though the legislative leadership had not yet settled their differences on the larger budget or bonding bills. It was still possible at that point for our bill to jump the remaining legislative hurdles and become law, although time was running out.

MCA lobbyists Larry Redmond and Brian Halloran, together with the other cultural lobbyists, stayed at the capitol until all hours shepherding the bill along. According to Larry, there were enough votes on the Senate floor to protect the arts and culture if anyone tried to delete us, and we also had enough votes to pass the whole bill if it came up. However, the session dragged on throughout the long night, and the bill was never brought up for a hearing on the Senate floor because there were constant threats that there would be another attempt to add on the ban on gay marriage. If a ban on gay marriage was added to our bill, our bill would die for sure. In the end, the Senate adjourned early Sunday morning without a deal on the budget, the bonding bill, or our bill.

In the House…

In the House, the bill was stalled in the Ways and Means Committee, and never included the arts and culture. It is significant to note that even in its smaller form, the House Ways and Means committee failed to give the bill a hearing. In fact, the House actually scaled the bill back, eliminating the money for parks, trails, clean water, and the zoo. It was the inclusion of the arts and culture in the Senate bill that gave it the life and votes it needed to move forward.

Summary

Although our bill failed to pass the legislature, it was the cultural community’s efforts that advanced this bill substantially farther than it has ever reached in the four to six years that hunters and anglers have worked to pass the bill. Through the grassroots efforts of MCA and our sister cultural organizations, and our professional lobbying, we brought it to life, seeking to increase arts funding farther than we ever had before. In the final hours of the session we came within inches of passing this amendment. Although this time the effort failed, we put a much brighter spotlight on the deficiencies in state funding for the arts community in Minnesota, which will add to our strength next session when the regular state budget is again debated.

In just the past month and a half, over 2000 people sent letters to their legislators using our desktop lobbyist, and over 500 new people have joined our arts alert list. Our coalition is growing! Legislators have learned that there are many Minnesotans who care about the arts, and arts folks have learned how to use the interenet to make their voice heard.

Thank you to everyone who participated. We’d like to send out a special thank you to Senators Dallas Sams, Dick Cohen, Larry Pogemiller, Dennis Frederickson, Dave Knutson, Bob Keirlin, and Geoff Michel, who worked tirelessly for the arts throughout the session.

Next Steps
Will there be a special session? There may be a chance to move the bill forward if there is a special session, although it’s unlikely. Stay tuned.
For more detailed information on the Environment and Cultural Heritage Amendment, check out MCA’s Website. The Arts and Culture portion of the Heritage bill would restore the arts funding cut last year and lock it in for the next 25 years. It lets the voters next November decide on a constitutional amendment that dedicates a small portion of the sales tax to arts, culture, and the environment. -Sheila Smith

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The Bonding Bill

Because of the legislative gridlock, the bonding bill was also not passed. This means that the Shubert Theater (ArtSpace’s project) and Ordway Center were not successful in obtaining bonding funds this year. However, the bill may come back to life in a special session, but they will have to wait and see if the Governor calls legislators back to St. Paul.

5/11/04

Again, thanks to your calls and letters, the Environment and Cultural Heritage bill moved forward in both the House and Senate today.

In the Senate…
It was in the Senate where more dramatic action occurred today. The bill had been sent to the Senate Tax Committee to “make sure it didn’t raise taxes.” Having confirmed that it didn’t, Sen. Pogemiller moved that it be forwarded to the Senate Rules Committee, the last stop before it reaches the Senate floor.

Sen. Julianne Ortman made two attempts to reduce the funding in the bill, and to take the arts out. Both of her amendments were defeated by voice votes. Sen. Belanger was an important voice throughout, arguing to keep the arts in the bill.

In the end, the bill was passed (with the arts intact) on a vote of 7 to 5. Voting in favor of the bill were: Senators Bakk, Belanger, Betzold, Moua, Pogemiller, Skoe and Tomassoni. Voting against passage were Senators Debbie Johnson, Limmer, Marty, McGinn, and Ortman.

If you are a constituent of any of these legislators, please thank those voting with us, and express your disappointment to those who voted against the bill. If you live in the district of a member of the Senate Tax Committee, we’ll send you a second alert today to let you know.

In the House…
Early this morning, the House Tax Committee passed the House version of the bill, which still doesn’t include the arts and culture among its beneficiaries. The House bill now goes to the Ways and Means Committee.

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Have you contacted your legislator yet?
If you have not yet contacted your legislator to support the Arts and Culture Amendment, please take just a moment to use our DESKTOP LOBBYIST to send them a quick note. We still have a long way to go before the session adjourns on May 17th.

Next Steps
We are now working together with a large coalition of outdoor heritage, arts and culture, and environment interests. If we can get it passed at the legislature, our strength in numbers will help in the work of passing the constitutional amendment together next November.

For more detailed information on the Arts and Culture Amendment, check out MCA’s Website. The Arts and Culture portion of the Heritage bill could restore the arts funding cut last year and lock it in for the next 25 years. It lets the voters next November decide on a constitutional amendment that dedicates a small portion of the sales tax to arts, culture, and the environment. -Sheila Smith

5/8/04

1. Arts/Environment Bill Passes Out of Committee Without Marriage Amendment

2. State Bonding Bill Stalled Yesterday

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1. Arts/Environment Bill Passes Out of Committee Without Marriage Amendment

Thanks to your calls and letters, the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee this morning passed Senate File 401, which includes a dedication of state sales tax revenues to the arts, culture, and environment, with out the unrelated ban on gay marriage.

Your voices mattered!
Early in the hearing, Sen. Neuville withdrew his proposal to add a ban on gay marriage to the bill. In the past few days, over 500 people asked Sen. Neuville to withdraw this proposal using MCAÕs Desktop Lobbyist. Sen. Neuville admitted in the hearing that the gay marriage amendment was completely unrelated to S.F. 401. He also expressed frustration that the gay marriage amendment had failed in a separate committee. Other legislators pointed out that Minnesota law already bans gay marriage. This issue put aside, the committee went on to discuss S.F. 401.

Another notable moment was when Sen. Pariseau offered an amendment which would have deleted the dedicated funding for the arts and culture, in addition to deleting the parks and trails, and the zoo. She said she wanted the bill to deal only with “sportsmen and impaired waters.” Sen. Sams, the author of the bill, opposed her amendment, which then failed on a vote of 13 to 3, with only Sen. Pariseau, Sen. Neuville, and Sen. Fischbach voting for it.

Have you contacted your legislator yet?
If you have not yet contacted your legislator to support the Arts and Culture Amendment, please take just a moment to use our DESKTOP LOBBYIST to send them a quick note. We still have a long way to go before the session adjourns on May 17th.

Next Steps
The next step for the bill will be a hearing in the Senate Tax Committee, possibly on Monday or Tuesday. If you live in the district of a member of the Tax Committee, weÕll send you a second alert today to let you know. After that, weÕll be on the floor of the Senate, where all legislators will vote on the bill.

We are now working together with a large coalition of outdoor heritage, arts and culture, and environment interests. If we can get it passed at the legislature, our strength in numbers will help in the work of passing the constitutional amendment together next November.

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For more detailed information on the Arts and Culture Amendment, check out MCA’s Website. The Arts and Culture portion of the Heritage bill could restore the arts funding cut last year and lock it in for the next 25 years. It lets the voters next November decide on a constitutional amendment that dedicates a small portion of the sales tax to arts, culture, and the environment.. -Sheila Smith

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2. State Bonding Bill Stalled Yesterday

Senate Republicans defeated an attempt to pass a bonding bill yesterday. Two more Republican votes were needed to pass the bill. (The bonding bill lists which “bricks and mortar” projects the state will pay for with money from state bonds. It is completely separate from the general fund dollars that usually go to the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils).

The SenateÕs bonding bill included $8 million each for the Schubert project in Minneapolis and the Ordway Theatre in St. Paul. It also contained $125,000 for a Shakespeare project in Winona. Earlier, the House had passed a much smaller bill without any arts projects. It is now a question as to whether or not there will be a bonding bill at all this year. This item is for information only, because MCA does not lobby for bonding projects.

Be nice. Your legislator voted to help the arts! Please thank them.

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The Minnesota Senate Finance Committee has been meeting to consider a bill that would dedicate a small portion of sales tax receipts to the arts, culture, and outdoor heritage. Your legislator is an important member of this committee. One of the Senators on the committee attempted to add an amendment on Thursday that would have hurt the arts by reducing the funding dedicated to the arts and culture.

It would be very nice if you could send your legislator a brief thank you note for this good vote.

(If you don’t know which person is your legislator, just give us a call at 651-251-0868 and we’ll look it up for you).

The following Senators voted against the amendment A37, that would have shifted funds in the bill from the arts to other things. Their name is a direct link to their email at the capitol:

Senator RIchard Cohen (District 64-St. Paul)
Senator Linda Berglin (District 61-Minneapolis)
Senator Satveer Chaudhary (50-Fridley)
Senator Dennis Frederickson (21-New Ulm)
Senator Keith Langseth (9-Glyndon/Moorhead)
Senator Steve Murphy (28-Red Wing)
Senator Sandy Pappas (65-St. Paul)
Senator Jane Ranum (63-Minneapolis/Richfield/Bloomington)
Senator Dallas Sams (our bill’s author) (11-Staples)
Senator Wes Skoglund (62-Minneapolis)
Senator LeRoy Stumpf (1-Thief River Falls)
Senator Chuck Wiger (55-North St. Paul)

The bill has still not passed out of the committee because of a separate controversy (see yesterday’s arts alert), but we are optimistic that if that issue can be resolved, and your Senator stays with us, this bill will hopefully move forward some time next week.

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For more detailed information on the Arts and Culture Amendment, check out MCA’s Website. The Arts and Culture portion of the Heritage bill could restore the arts funding cut last year and lock it in for the next 25 years. It lets the voters next November decide on a constitutional amendment that dedicates a small portion of the sales tax to arts, culture, and the environment.

If the bill ever passes out of the Finance Committee it will most likely go to the Tax Committee, then the Rules Committee, and then the floor of the Senate. We’ll send out another arts alert whenever there is news. -Sheila Smith