The race for California Governor is sure to be the highest profile, most expensive, and most media focused election in the country this year. This means it’s also the most important race for arts advocates to engage. So we’re doing it!
This week a consortium of California artists, arts organizations, arts educators, and arts coalitions launched the Arts in Governors Race project. The basic goal is simple. We want to make so much noise about the importance of the arts to California’s future that the gubernatorial candidates announce their support for arts-friendly public policies such as:
- Increasing public funding for nonprofit arts organizations in order to better serve their communities
- Ensuring that every child has the opportunity for a comprehensive, high quality arts education in grades K-12
- Nurturing an environment that allows individuals and families affordable access to all forms of the arts
The Steering Committee needs arts supporters from every California community to get involved. We’ve identified three simple things you can do to advance the arts during this important election. (And you don’t have to be from California to participate!)
1. Endorse the campaign – It is a non-partisan effort that doesn’t support one candidate or the other. Instead, we need a list of millions to show these candidates the arts matter to people’s lives in California. The online form will take less than a minute to complete. While your at it you can start following the effort Facebook and Twitter.
2. Invite your friends and colleagues to become involved in all the ways you are. Send them to the website and encourage them to be part of this exciting statewide effort. If you want to volunteer even more time then let us know.
3. Donate! Money is the life blood of every political effort. Ours is no exception. Your contribution can be of any amount. $5, $20, $50 and larger contributions will deepen the pool of resources we have for engaging the candidates and building momentum for this effort. Every dollar makes a difference so add yours to the cause right away.
Californians have two months to put the importance of the arts on the radar of their next governor. Adding your voice is the only way we’ll create enough volume to make that happen.
Do your part today!