ATL SYMPHONY MUSICIANS - Arts Advocacy

Support the HEROES Act

7/21/2020

The HEROES Act needs our support to pass and help save orchestras and freelance musicians in this dire situation! Please take the very short amount of time to click this link and send an auto-generated letter to our senators. For more information about HEROES, please see bullet points in the comments below!

November 30th, 2019

11/30/2019

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the ATL Symphony Musicians Foundation, we would like to wish you very joyful holiday season!

ATL Symphony Musicians Foundation is honored to serve our community and the state of Georgia, as performers, teachers, and stewards of classical music. We are grateful for the support we receive, and we are fully committed to our mission.

This Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, we ask you to consider a donation to support our endeavors, including the ATLSMF Scholarship Fund providing private lessons and masterclasses for deserving students.

We hope you will join us for out 7th Annual ATL Symphony Musicians Appreciation Concert on January 5th, 2020, celebrating the partnership and unique relationships formed between teachers and students. Members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra will perform side by side at 3:00 pm in Kellett Chapel at Peachtree Presbyterian Church.

Please consider a gift to help us reach our goal of $5,000 to further excellent classical music performances and education in our community.
http://www.ATLSMfoundation.com

Americans for the arts

5/1/2017

Great news from Arts Action Fund—Congress wants to INCREASE spending on the arts & humanities for the remainder of FY 2017! A success for arts advocates everywhere, but there's still work to be done to ensure we #SAVEtheNEA for FY 2018 and beyond.

americans for the arts action fund

April 08th, 2017

4/8/2017

"Eleven House Republicans are now among more than 150 members of Congress who have signed a letter calling for a slight increase in federal funds to the endowment — a far cry from its elimination, which Mr. Trump is the first president to propose."

Rep. Louise Slaughter D-NY

Rep. Louise Slaughter D-NY | JOSHUA ROBERTS / GETTY IMAGES

FULL ARTICLE @NYTimes.com

“This bipartisan effort is really important because the president’s proposed cuts to federal arts funding would be absolutely devastating,” said Representative Louise Slaughter, Democrat of New York and co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, in a statement. “I’m proud to have more Republicans join us in this effort than we’ve ever had in recent years. This is a signal loud and clear to the White House that Republicans and Democrats agree these budget cuts would be penny-wise and pound-foolish.”

funding the arts in atlanta

2/16/2017

BREAKING NEWS from City Hall via WSB-TV: during Mayor Kasim Reed's last State of the City address today, he proposed a small sales tax that would go completely to arts funding. Council Member Felicia Moore, district 9, has since filed opposition, stating this tax should go towards salaries and raises for Law Enforcement. Story is developing.

UPDATE at 8:32 p.m. from the Mayor's office:

“Mayor Kasim Reed believes the one-tenth percent sales tax should be fully and entirely dedicated to funding the arts in Atlanta. A great city deserves great art, and there is a clear need for additional, dedicated funding for small and mid-sized arts organizations throughout the city. By establishing a funding stream through a special sales tax, we will ensure the arts aren’t the first to be cut in the event of an economic downturn.

Fifty-two percent of the city’s annual budget goes to public safety. Mayor Reed eliminated furloughs for officers, and since his inauguration in January 2010, public safety personnel and city employees have received nine salary increases. Funding salary increases through a sales tax is short-sighted and unsustainable, and the Administration will not pursue any such proposal.”

Make your voice heard, contact info for Council Member Moore as follows:

-Office Location:
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Ave, S.W.
Suite 2900
Atlanta, GA 30303-3584
-Main Phone: (404) 330-6044
-Fax: (404) 658-6454

#artsatl #newartsatl #artsatlartdesign #weloveatl

78 DSO musicians each receive $5,000 bequest

7/15/2016

Detroit Symphony Orchestra philanthropist Marjorie S. Fisher

(Photo: DSO)

What a wonderful story of support for a wonderful orchestra. Congratulations to our colleagues, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Musicians! The late philanthropist Marjorie S. Fisher famously led with her heart when she gave away millions.

Giving Tuesday | Support The ASO

12/1/2015

GivingTuesday

Today is ‪#‎GivingTuesday‬! We've come a long way in the last year, thanks in great part to our generous donors. A donation to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra today will help us to continue the great work we've started, and will help to ensure our future of bringing world class classical music to our incredible Atlanta community.

Protect Music Education In Atlanta Public Schools

3/2/2015

Dear Superintendent Dr. Carstarphen and Atlanta Public Schools Board Members,

Music education is not a choice – it is essential. Atlanta Public Schools’ proposed budget forces principals and communities to choose between programs, which puts music education programs at risk.

We ask that as the budget is finalized, music education, including band, chorus, and orchestra programs are preserved, not cut or made a choice. We understand that flexibility is the goal of the proposed budget but what that really means is music education programs are not protected as part of the Atlanta Public Schools’ budget or curriculum.

Principals and parents should not have to choose between early intervention programs or music education. Furthermore, they should not have to choose between enrichment programs, such as Spanish versus music education. That is an unfair burden to place on schools.

Music education, including band, chorus, and orchestra programs must be an integral part of the Atlanta Public Schools’ budget and curriculum, at every school. There can be no flexibility on this issue.

Protect music education in the upcoming budget!

Sincerely,

APS Music Education Supporters

Sign The Petition

Georgia Arts Network Call To Action!

2/16/2015

Are you a Georgia resident who feels that the state should increase funding for the arts? Follow the link below to send a personalized message your legislators. Thanks to the Georgia Arts Network for setting this up, and let's send a strong message that the arts are a crucial part of a great state!

Music Education Advocacy Alert: Only Days to Respond!

2/1/2015

Music Education Advocacy Alert: Only Days to Respond! January 28, 2015, Washington, D.C. -- As the new Congress begins to rewrite our nation's major education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), music education advocates have their first opportunity to deliver four key messages, in unison with the broader arts and arts education community:

The arts are currently listed as a core academic subject in federal law. Any rewrite of ESEA must retain the arts in the definition of "core academic subjects," enabling access to federal resources that address inequalities and strengthen education.
Federal law should require transparency in how much or how little arts education is being offered to our nation's students. Collecting and publicly reporting the status and condition of arts education and other core academic subjects on an annual basis at the state level is critical to ensuring equitable access to a comprehensive education for all students.
Arts education must be supported in provisions relating to early childhood education, after-school/out-of-school learning, teaching effectiveness, school turnaround, charter schools, and student assessment.
The U.S. Department of Education should continue to administer a direct, nationally funded competitive Arts in Education grant program that advances the capacity of the arts to strengthen learning and improve teaching.

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Chairman of the Senate Committee charged with rewriting this bill, is inviting public comment on a discussion draft he recently released. The full draft proposal addresses many broad areas of education reform, and removes the current list of core academic subjects, terminates the current federal afterschool funding program, fails to require state transparency on the status and conditions of arts education, and eliminates the federal Arts in Education grant program. The League is partnering with dozens of national arts and arts education organizations in advancing the four key messages above. Please join this first advocacy opportunity in 2015!

Click here to customize and send an email before the deadline of Monday, February 2nd, and urge support for the arts in ESEA reauthorization!

Urge Congress to Support Arts Education in our nation's education law!

Arts Advocacy Alert ATL Symphony Musicians