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Arts Advocacy is an important part of what the Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge does. Arts Advocacy makes the community, officials and potential supporters aware of the benefit that the arts has on our education, quality of life, and economic development. Arts North Carolina has some great tips on how to advocate to the municipalities. The goal of advocacy is to change an elected official’s perception of the arts from “nice” to “essential.” Nice is expendable. Essential gets support, no matter the economic circumstances. Advocacy is necessary for the arts to thrive and is a core responsibility of arts supporters. People who care about issues should get involved in every election. Know who is running for office, set a meeting, write a letter, deliver a message about arts funding and policy, volunteer for the candidate, make a contribution, attend community forums, and/or ask for candidate views on public support for the arts. |
| After the election, write a letter of introduction and congratulations, send invitations to arts events, know their supporters, and/or send regular communications that detail arts impact in their district. The message should include both data and narrative and if possible, be specific to their district. Most arts advocacy message center around economic impact, recruitment and retention of skilled workers and businesses, revitalized communities, education, and cultural tourism. Know your official’s key issues and tailor your message. | |
