Advocacy

Dance/USA represents the interests of the national dance ecosystem before Congress, the White House, and relevant federal agencies. Dance/USA works with the broader arts/cultural, business, and nonprofit sectors to advocate for the development and implementation of national policies that recognize and strengthen the ability of the arts and cultural communities to contribute to American life. Dance/USA provides a number of advocacy resources about the current administration, key advocacy issues, civic engagement, and more.

Dance/USA Advocacy

Advocacy Updates

Dance/USA provides regular advocacy updates to its members concerning what is happening on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC and within the federal government concerning policies, legislation, and regulation impacting the dance ecosystem and the overall arts and cultural sector. If you want to receive regular advocacy updates straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to the Dance/USA advocacy listserv.

Below are the latest updates.

Dance/USA Events and Initiatives

Dance/USA hosts strategic events and executes strategic initiatives throughout the year to ensure its members and interested stakeholders throughout the dance ecosystem are effecive advocates for their companies, non-profit organizations, staff, individual dance artists and creatve workers, dance ecosystem, and overall arts and cultural sector. Advocacy works and Dance/USA is committed to a dance ecosystem that is effective and successful in its advocacy efforts before U.S. Congress, White House, and state/local governments. Below is important information concerning past Dance/USA events and initiatives. 

Dance/USA Virtual Event – 118th Congress and the Dance Ecosystem – February 2, 2023

Action Alerts

Dance/USA periodically emails action alerts to our members, with timely messaging that makes it simple and fast to take action and advocate for policies, legislation, and/or regulation which impact the dance ecosystem and the overall arts and cultural sector. Below are current action alerts impacting the dance ecosystem and the overall arts and cultural sector. 

Know Your Federal Elected Officials

Dance/USA members, dance professionals, and arts advocates should know their elected officials at all levels of government, establish/maintain working relationships, and regularly communicate with them and their staff to keep them current on how the local arts community is faring and how the arts community can best be supported in the future. Congress.gov is a great resource to find out about your congressional members and what legislation they support or do not support.

Meeting Your Congressional Delegation

Dance/USA can schedule meetings for its members with their congressional delegation throughout the year, either virtually or in-person. Please contact our Government Affairs office and we can schedule meetings, provide background information and talking points, prep members prior to their meetings, and attend meetings with members in a supporting role.

Advocacy Office Hours – First Fridays – 1:00PM ET/12:00PM CT/10:00AM PT

Scheduled for the first Friday of each month, these are great opportunities for members to meet with the Dance/USA Director of Government Affairs to learn about what is happening on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC and within the federal government concerning the dance ecosystem and the overall arts and cultural sector. Dance/USA staff will discuss specific federal, state, and local advocacy opportunities for members to lean in with their voices to address various issues of interest. Members will be able to ask questions about various issues of interest and receive technical assistance on effective dance advocacy. Please contact Tony Shivers, Dance/USA Director of Government Affairs, at tshivers@nulldanceusa.org for the Zoom meeting coordinates.
 

Dance/USA Advocacy Google Group

Dance/USA sends specific updates to interested members on a regular basis concerning federal legislation, regulation, and policies that impacts the dance ecosystem and overall arts and cultural sector. Please subscribe HERE to receive these updates. Please contact Tony Shivers, Dance/USA Director of Government Affairs at tshivers@nulldanceusa.org with any questions.
 

Performing Arts Alliance

Dance/USA is one of founding members of the Performing Arts Alliance (PAA), a national policy advocate, leadership forum, and learning network for America’s nonprofit performing arts organizations, artists, and allies. Through legislative and grassroots action, the PAA advocates for national policies that recognize, enhance, and foster the contributions the performing arts make to the U.S. The PAA “envisions a United States in which the diverse ecology of the performing arts is deeply valued and supported, adequately and equitably resourced, and where participation is accessible to all. All Dance/USA members are members of the PAA.

Your Vote Counts

It is important for U.S. citizens to exercise their right to register to vote and to vote each and every year during elections at all levels – national, state, and local. It is important to have governments at all levels which provides and maintains an environment where the arts and cultural sector and its creative workers can flourish and succeed. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is a great resource that provides information that voters need to be prepared for each election day. Dance/USA also executes a voter registration/get-out-the-vote campaign – #Dance2Vote – every election cycle which provides accurate information for the general public to register to vote and to vote early. 

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