NASAA Annual Meeting
Advocacy Workshop:
Creating Access to Power
Enhancing Advocacy Skills
“If you wish in this world to advance,
Your merits you’re bound to enhance;
You must stir it and stump it,
And blow your own trumpet,
Or, trust me, you haven’t a chance.”
William S. Gilbert
Access to Power:
Recruiting Advocates for the Arts
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Corporate leaders with political contacts
who are active in the arts
Board members and powerful heads of
arts organizations
Contributors to political campaigns
Constituents who know their legislators
personally
Access to Power:
Arts Event = Advocacy Event
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Invite legislators to your performances,
exhibitions and special events
Introduce them to your audience, ask
them to say a few words
Connect them with board members who
are their friends and supporters
Thank legislators in attendance for their
support of public funding for the arts
Access to Power:
Campaign for Public Arts Support
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Attend a candidate’s town meeting
and ask about support for the arts
Make a financial contribution to a
candidate who favors public arts
funding
Volunteer to work on a campaign and
educate the candidate on the role of
the arts in your community
Enhance Advocacy Skills:
Organizations and Advocacy
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Include advocacy in the job description of
every board member
Recruit board members with political
connections AND an interest in the arts
Establish an advocacy committee
Put advocacy on the agenda at every
board meeting
Train board members in advocacy
Prepare board members to talk about the
public benefit of your programs
Enhance Advocacy Skills:
Power in Coalitions
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Build a statewide network of advocates
Stay current on legislation
Convene to discuss legislative issues
Promote cooperation on advocacy
Rally audiences as advocates
Provide case-building information on
public arts spending
Promote alliances with non-arts advocacy
groups with mutual interests