As part of our plan for the future, Americans for the Arts began our concerted efforts to raise visibility for the arts. We received coverage in USA Today, purchased ad space in Forbes and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and worked with American Express in its Serve2Gether program on our brand statement and messaging.
Artists to draw attention to core issues
Through both the Artists Committee and independent partnerships, Americans for the Arts engages high-profile artists to increase visibility and advocacy efforts. In October, singer-songwriter and Artists Committee member Ben Folds participated in the launch of the new National Core Arts Standards in New York. Additionally, Committee Member and mezzo-soprano Carla Dirlikov attended the Council on Foundations 2014 Fall Conference with our President and CEO Robert L. Lynch, and in January Committee Member and actress Fran Drescher received the Citizen Artist Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts. We also had the opportunity to work with artists new to our work. Broadway and television star Laura Benanti was a featured performer at our BCA 10 black-tie gala, and she wowed audiences with her singing talents. We look forward to engaging more artists in the coming years.
Check out some photos from our BCA 10 gala in Central Park, where Laura Benanti and other artists shared their talents with the attendees
New audiences with deeper partnerships
In 2014, Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch was elected to Independent Sector’s Board of Directors, strengthening the partnership between our two organizations. We are proud to say that we have continued to work on this cooperation through the year, in addition to building other partnerships, such as our new relationship with the Council on Foundations, in promoting our message that the arts comprise a viable and important industry and hold a special place in our society. One such partnership is the National PTA, an organization that represents millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the promotion of parent involvement in schools. As part of this partnership, Americans for the Arts participated in September’s National Arts in Education Week. Activities were held across the country on behalf of several organizations, including Americans for the Arts and National PTA, all highlighting the importance of the arts in schools.
Learn more about one of our key partnered programs, Arts in Education Week, and gather tools to advocate for the arts
New tools to expand the reach and impact of our events, resources, and campaigns
In addition to the suite of online communications tools Americans for the Arts already employs, at the end of 2013, we started an Instagram account and re-energized our Storify and Slideshare accounts to promote events, initiatives, and news for the field in a more engaging way. In addition to the reach of our Artists Committee members, our Instagram and Twitter audience for arts advocacy messaging grew exponentially—during Arts Advocacy Day in particular, with more than 800,000 impressions and an Instagram account with nearly 2,000 followers by the end of the year.