TFTA Newsletter - March 2010

We hope you were able to attend and enjoy Arts Advocacy Day on the Hill. We had a full day of sharing facts, meeting new friends, and visiting with our legislators over lunch.

We changed the format this year, and were grateful to have so many of you join us and provide such positive feedback. If you attended and have not already completed the survey, please do so now by clicking here. Your feedback is so vital in helping us plan for the future.

For those of you who were not able to be there, we talked about many issues, including:

• The state of arts organizations all across the nation. Legislative appropriations to state arts agencies decreased by 10.0% in fiscal year 2010, according to the Legislative Appropriations Annual Survey published by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). Between fiscal years 2009 and 2010, state arts agencies lost $32.8 million in state funds, leaving total legislative appropriations to state arts agencies at $297.0 million, or $0.96 per capita. (The amount of appropriations in Tennessee is $1.52 per capita.)
• The importance of becoming a member of TFTA, both as an organization and as an individual. There is strength in numbers. When talking with legislators, we want to be able to tell them we represent hundreds of their constituents, not just a handful. We cannot survive without organizational memberships but we cannot succeed without individual memberships.
• The importance of promoting the sale of license plates. This is absolutely the secret to oursuccess of not feeling the budget cuts as deeply as others. The Tennessee Arts Commission receives 40% or 90% of the money from the sale of plates, depending on thespecific plate. If you don't have one, get one, and spread the word to others to do the same.
• Pictures for you! The photos from the day's festivities are all posted online, so you can click here to download and use them as you'd like. They were provided by our photographer, Peyton Hoge.

Campaigns : Campaign Preview Page 1 of 3
https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPreview/state:print/campaignId:7635239 3/16/2010

Remember - The Secret to Our Success.... LICENSE PLATES!
Please help spread the word. Contact Lydia Light, Tennessee Arts Commission Graphic Assistant, at Lydia.Light@tn.gov or 615-741-1703 to
receive the ads in the sizes you need to promote the sale of license plates in your own publications or website.

A Special Thanks to Our Performers
We were thrilled to have the following groups perform during the day:

• Henry County High School Madrigals - Performing on The Polk Theatre Stage
• Nashville Old-Time String Band Association - Performing in Legislative Plaza
• The Iris Chamber Players - Performing in TPAC Lobby

In case you were not able to be there, but are interested in viewing some of the
materials, click below to download them.

• • Updated Arts Caucus List
• • Legislative Talking Points
• • Important Dates to Remember