Letter of Invitation
Dear Colleagues and Arts Education Supporters: I’m sure most of you were very pleased that Act 1506 (Title 6-16-130, the music and art requirement) was passed in the 2001 legislative session. It was amended in the 2005 General Assembly and became Act 245. Many would like to see this law repealed or changed significantly. We must organize all supporters of music and art education into a well-organized network to help disseminate information to each other.
We must also make every effort to educate our communities, superintendents, school boards, as well as our legislators about the benefits of an education in the arts. It is my hope that each of you, as leaders in your area, will see the significance of being proactive advocates for the arts. Reactive advocacy is rarely successful. Those organizations that wish to participate in this coalition should:
1. assign an individual to organize your group to effectively allow swift and accurate information to flow up and down the network;
2. become a supporter of the Joint Statement on Arts Education (The Value and Quality of Arts Education: An Arkansas Statement of Principles);
3. use the resources available to allow us to effectively present evidence of the benefits of an education in the arts;
4. take measures to present a unified image of support for arts education at all levels;
Organization
As leaders, we already have the resources needed to contact our memberships to encourage them to be advocates at all levels. One of the most effective groups will be the “booster clubs” that already exist mostly at the secondary level.
The significance of utilizing our state organizations is that the various memberships cover the state. I believe it was the late Tip O’Neal who said, “All politics is local.” There’s nothing that motivates a legislator or a school board member like a constituent expressing a viewpoint.
