Orchestras on the Hill
Opening Session
Making the Case
Best Defense: A Guide for Orchestra Advocates


Orchestras on the Hill

On June 15, nearly 500 orchestra musicians, business partners, volunteers, trustees, and administrators from across the country visited Capitol Hill. A preparatory legislative briefing schooled delegates in the latest advocacy tactics for pursuing increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and arts education, new incentives for charitable giving, and improvements to the visa process for foreign guest artists.

Participants held meetings with more than 150 members of the U.S. House and Senate to advocate for orchestras and their impact in the communities they serve. This activity may already have had some national influence—members of the House and Senate recently agreed to a $4.4 million increase for the National Endowment for the Arts, bringing the FY06 funding level to $125.7 million.

• Visit http://www.symphony.org/govaff/what/index.shtml for the latest news from Washington and for advocacy tools to help you make the case at home.

Mingling with members of Congress. L to r: Nancy Wrenn, executive director, East Texas Symphony Orchestra; Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX01); and Buck Files, board president, East Texas Symphony Orchestra	Mark O’Connor and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg  perform at a reception on the Hill.

Opening Session

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee delivered the Opening Session Keynote Address on why he chose to focus on the arts during his chairmanship of the Education Commission of the States.

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, chairman, Education Commission of the States

Opening Session Keynote Address:
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, chairman, Education Commission of the States
Introductions by Henry Fogel, president and CEO, American Symphony Orchestra League and Joy Rowland, principal bassist, D.C. Youth Orchestra
Thursday, June 16, 2005

Listen Now

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• Read Gov. Huckabee's complete remarks
• Consider quoting selected highlights in your own arts education advocacy efforts.
  

Governor Huckabee also took the time to chat with members of the Youth Orchestra Day Philharmonic. The Philharmonic, led by Emil de Cou, associate conductor, National Symphony Orchestra, is comprised of musicians from several DC area youth orchestras. Read more about it.

Making the Case

Delegates learned the facts about orchestras and how to communicate them compellingly to decision makers at this Thursday morning forum.

• Download Music Matters! Your Quick Orchestra Facts for the 2003-04 Season 

L to r: Moderator Alberta Arthurs, cultural consultant and commentator; Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; Susan Weiner, executive director, Georgia Council for the Arts and former mayor of Savannah; and James Undercofler, director and dean, Eastman School of Music

Best Defense: A Guide for Orchestra Advocates

Panelists at this Thursday afternoon Orchestra Toolbox session presented tips for relationship building with local, state and federal government policy makers.

• Download the companion document at www.symphony.org/bestdefense.

Moderator Jonathan Katz, CEO, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies