On Tuesday, The Creative Coalition led the first delegation of entertainment industry leaders to participate in a virtual Capitol Hill advocacy day since the start of the pandemic. Their mission – to emphasize to Congressional leaders the importance of the #RightToBearArts and to support increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The Creative Coalition urged members to increase funding to $201 million, which represents an increase of $33.5 million and equals the level requested in President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget.
The Creative Coalition’s #RightToBearArts delegation shared stories about the impact of the arts in their lives, the significant contributions of the arts to our nation’s economy, and the importance of increasing public funding to provide access to the arts in communities around the country as we recover from the pandemic with more than a dozen members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, including Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA); Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D-FL); Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI); Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA); Congressman Peter Meijer (R-MI); Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY); Congressman Dan Meuser (R-PA); Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI); Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME); Congressman David Price (D-NC); Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA); and Congressman Bryan Steil (R-WI).
The #RightToBearArts delegation was headed by The Creative Coalition President, actor Tim Daly (“Madam Secretary”), and the organization’s CEO Robin Bronk. Actors who took part in the delegation included Emmy Award nominee Jason Alexander (“Harley Quinn,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Mädchen Amick (“Riverdale”), Carly Chaikin (“Mr. Robot,” “Suburgatory”), Michael Fishman (“The Conners”), Katherine McNamara (“Arrow,” “The Stand”), Alyssa Milano (“Insatiable,” “Charmed”), Anthony Rapp (“Star Trek: Discovery,” “Rent”), Maya Lynne Robinson (“The Conners,” “The Unicorn”), Caterina Scorsone (“Grey’s Anatomy”), and Emmy Award nominee Chandra Wilson (“Grey’s Anatomy”). Additional artists in the delegation included producer Mark Goffman (Executive Producer of “The Umbrella Academy,” “Bull”), New York Times Bestselling Author Patrick McGinnis (“Fear Of Missing Out”), and President of Production at Day Zero Productions Haroon Saleem (“The Daily Show”).
“The arts are a fundamental part of American culture and its economy,” said The Creative Coalition President Tim Daly. “Congress must continue to protect and promote the arts by maintaining federal support for the National Endowment for the Arts. The Creative Coalition is honored to once again speak with lawmakers about the importance of the arts and hold our nation’s leaders accountable for defending Americans’ sacred Right to Bear Arts.”
“Increased support for the arts through the National Endowment for the Arts is vital for artists and for our nation’s economic recovery. Yet, many on Capitol Hill still question the value of investing federal funds in the arts,” said The Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk. “Now in its 32nd year, The Creative Coalition’s annual #RightToBearArts delegation has been vital to making the case to protect funding for the arts, the lifeblood of American culture.”
The Creative Coalition has a long history of bringing the most significant leaders in the entertainment industry to participate in its distinguished #RightToBearArts Day delegations. Past delegates include Elizabeth Banks, Sharon Stone, Spike Lee, Barry Levinson, Emily Ratajkowski, Johnny Galecki, Patricia Arquette, Nina Dobrev, Alec Baldwin, Gabourey Sidibe, Troian Bellisario, Alfre Woodard, Josh Radnor, Rosario Dawson, John Leguizamo, Marlon Wayans, Tracy Morgan, Christina Hendricks, Keegan Michael-Key, Marisa Tomei, Anne Hathaway, Josh Gad, and David Schwimmer, among others.
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