Maryland Citizens for the Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2001

MARYLAND CITIZENS FOR THE ARTS URGES MD CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPLEMENT BUSH FUNDING PLAN FOR
CULTURAL AGENCIES

Washington, DC - Joining thousands of other arts, business and education leaders from across the country, Maryland Citizens for the Arts took their annual trip to Capitol Hill for National Arts Advocacy Day 2001. Organized by Americans for the Arts, Arts Advocacy Day is a national campaign to promote federal support of the arts and arts-education and to meet with Congressional lawmakers to discuss the importance of public arts support for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Office of Museum Services (OMS).

MD Citizens for the Arts met with each member of Maryland's Congressional Delegation and staff, urging them to supplement President Bush's budget request for flat funding of the NEA with an additional $45 million for the agencies' Challenge America Initiative. Begun last year, this initiative targets funds for arts education, youth-at-risk, senior citizens and community arts partnerships.

Also on the meeting agenda was the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Proposed legislation omits the arts as a core subject and eliminates funds for national art-education models and after-school arts programs. Lawmakers were urged to rectify the omission.

Last year, arts advocates successfully secured a $7.4 million increase to federal cultural agencies, the first in eight years. 7 out of Maryland's 10 delegates voted in favor of the increase. All support Bush's request to keep funding at the same level for next year.

     Maryland art organizations receive approximately $2 million annually from the NEA. The State Arts Council receives a block grant of half a million dollars. Other grantees last year included, Maryland Public Television, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Walters Art Museum, Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts, Howard County Poetry and Literature Society, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and Pyramid Atlantic Center for Printmaking.

     For more information about Arts Advocacy Day, contact Americans for the Arts at 202.371.2830 or visit their website at http:// www.artsusa.org.

     Located in Ellicott City, Maryland Citizens for the Arts is a statewide arts advocacy organization founded in 1977. Its mission is to speak for the arts on the state and national levels as well as to ensure adequate funding for the Maryland State Arts Council.