No excuses this legislative session.
Texans for the Arts Foundation takes it biennial Texas Arts Advocacy Summit online this year. And that means even if you’re not in Austin, you can still learn how to advocate on behalf of the arts to Texas lawmakers.
“This 87th legislative session is like none ever before with the complexities of the pandemic impacting everything from testifying at hearings to meeting in person with your legislators” said Ann S. Graham, Texans for Arts Foundation executive director. “But one thing is clear and that is that our voices need to be heard now more than ever.”
The summit will help your demystify arts advocacy and set attendees off on virtual visits with their elected officials.
The Texans for the Arts Foundation’s Virtual Arts Advocacy Summit 2021 is entirely free and takes place over three online events. Register here.
Step 1: Jan. 26, 9-10:30 a.m. CST – “Setting the Stage”
Virtual training session around how to set up a legislative meeting and what to accomplish followed by a panel discussion on how to use the media to tell your stories.
Step 2: Feb. 9, 9 a.m. – 12 noon CST – “Speak Up Speak Out”
Virtual training session on the key advocacy issues, guest speakers, art breaks and more.
That same afternoon, from 1 to 5:00 p.m. you will make scheduled visits with your legislators and/or their staff. These visits are being organized by advocacy “Captains” in each district. When you register for the summit, you can designate whether you would like to be a Captain.
Step 3: Feb. 11, 4- 5 p.m. CST – “Celebrate and Next Steps”
Virtual wrap-up and online happy hour!
Texans for the Arts Foundation will provide digital materials for you to share with your legislators on the issues most important to the art:
- protecting public support for the arts
- protecting the municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax and the 15% allocation for the arts, particularly through the COVID-19 recovery period
- ensuring our vital resources provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts and their Cultural District program funding remain intact
- seeking additional support for COVID-19 relief for the arts and culture sector
- supporting other policies and programs including arts & the military, arts & education, arts & the justice system and more.
In November, the Texans for the Arts Foundation launched the Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Toolkit, an online resource for arts, municipal, hotel and tourism leaders that is a comprehensive compendium of what you need to know about Texas’ Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax, Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code, and the positive impact HOT can have in communities across Texas.
The goal of the HOT Toolkit is to explain the complexities of the Hotel Occupancy Tax, and to give voice as to why investing the allowable “up to 15% for the arts” is a sound investment in the social health and economic well being and recovery of every community.
