CALL TO ACTION: Take the Time, Craft your Message, Deliver it Next Week
It is time to let our representatives at the NC General Assembly know that the arts need assistance in the coming weeks as they address public health concerns and economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are requesting that $3 million in stabilization funds be allocated to the NC Arts Council to be distributed in the coming weeks to struggling arts organizations. On Wednesday Arts NC sent this request to Members of the Joint Caucus on Arts and Arts Education including some specific elements in that message. We are asking everyone in the NC arts community to craft a personal message with the same elements and to deliver it to your state representatives any day next week.
A few things to keep in mind when crafting your email:
- Quality over quantity, if it is too long it will not be read.
- This is a difficult time for everyone, especially for elected representatives.
- Your tone should remain polite and positive, yet appropriately assertive.
First, find your NC House Representative and NC Senator. If you have relationships with Members of other districts you should contact them as well, however we are encouraging advocates to contact only Representatives of their home address, work address, or both.
Second, similar to the email to the Arts Caucus, craft a thoughtful and personal email message that includes:
- Start with a greeting that is warm and positive. Recognize the massive scale of the issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Acknowledge the challenges faced by government at this time and be appreciative of their leadership and service.
- Explain the negative effect the pandemic has had on the arts in your community, your organization, or for you personally. Use specific examples, but do not go into too much detail. You can summarize an issue in a sentence, and then use a link or hyperlink to articles or webpages which will allow them to read more if needed. Provide information about lost income and lost audience. You can relate those losses to state and county data as well. Discuss current challenges as well as those on the horizon and be honest about the severity of the situation.
- Talk about how you have responded to the pandemic. These should be positive stories about how the arts have had to innovate in order to reach and serve our communities, as well as other artists. Efforts to assist health care workers or specifically connect to children, underserved communities, veterans, seniors, or any other group that is disproportionately affected by the pandemic will be especially well-received. Be concise in your descriptions and provide links to more detailed information. Also, be sure to also submit these narratives to Arts NC’s Silver Lining Stories.
- Discuss how the arts build and strengthen communities and economies. Specific examples of the impact the arts have locally are important. Financial or participation information can support your story, and broader information about the impact of the arts on economies, communities, and students can show your place in the big picture and the crucial role the arts will play as we reopen and recover.
- Ask that the NC General Assembly allocate $3 million to the NC Arts Council to be distributed to arts organizations across the state that are struggling because of COVID-19. You can use this exact language or your own, but this is the most important part of your message. Make it bold or underlined to be sure that even if the message is read quickly that the request is clear.
- Close by thanking the official for their service and consideration of your request. You can also attach support documents such as Arts Sector COVID-19 Impact and Priorities and How the Arts Impact the NC Economy.
Third, send your email when it is completed between Monday, April 27th and Thursday April 30th. We expect that discussion will be ongoing during this time with final action take the following week.
Fourth, schedule a phone/video call (or conference call for a group of advocates) with your Representatives. It may not be possible, and that is fine. You can always leave a voicemail or message with a legislative assistant providing your name, that you are a constituent, and that you are asking them to support $3 million in relief funding for the arts. Remember to be patient, polite and positive, yet appropriately assertive.
Our efforts over the next week will be crucial to achieving our objectives. Arts North Carolina and our lobbyists will continue to constantly monitor developments and work with Members of the NC General Assembly throughout the process. Updates on our efforts will be communicated as soon as possible.
This public health crisis has created unprecedented challenges and severe consequences. We will all be able to navigate these troubled waters better if we do it together. Please make the time to take the action. Arts NC is proud to be your voice and your partner during this incredibly difficult time.