Arts in Educ ation Advocacy


Update as of June 7, 2007 from Americans for the Arts:

The House Labor-Health-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for education programs at the U.S. Department of Education, approved $39 million for the Arts in Education program in the FY 2008 spending bill. continued…

New youth orchestras are created each year to meet the growing demand for music education and positive alternative activities for young people. Policymakers in Washington, D.C. are considering legislation that will affect your orchestra. Help keep these orchestra numbers growing by contacting your local representatives and members of congress about the arts issues that are important to you. Also visit www.symphony.org “Government Affairs” page for more information.

Governor, Phil Bredesen
Phone: (615) 741-2001
Fax: (615) 532-9711
Web Site: www.state.tn.us/gov Senator, Bill Frist
Phone: (615) 352-9411
Fax: (615) 352-9985
Web Site: frist.senate.gov

Senator, Lamar Alexander
Phone: (615) 736-5129
Fax: (615) 269-4803
Web Site: alexander.senate.gov Representative, Bart Gordon
Phone: (615) 896-1986
Fax: (615) 896-8218
Web Site: www.house.gov/gordon
The Arts in Education program is authorized as a temporary program in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to promote the arts in schools. President Bush’s budget for 2007 fiscal year recommends discontinuing funding for the Arts in Education program. Please continue reading more about this in a letter from Senator William H. Frist sent to Susan Mullen.

February 3, 2006 letter from Senator Lamar Alexander

February 17, 2006 letter from Representative Bart Gordon

For viewing and printing the letter, Adobe Acrobat Reader is necessary. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free download from Adobe.