The Arts
The arts are a major pillar of our nation’s culture and economy. In January 2015, the Bureau of Economic Analysis determined that the arts and cultural industries contribute $698 billion to our economy each year and support 4.7 million full-time jobs.
Here are some fun facts: students with four years of arts and music score 102 points higher on the SAT than students who don't! For every federal dollar that is invested in the arts, $8 private dollars are leveraged. The arts also play an important role in helping our nation’s veterans cope with unspeakable tragedies after returning home from overseas. At the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, veterans work with art therapists to create artwork that express the physical, emotional, and psychological pain they are experiencing. Programs like this one are yet another reason the arts are invaluable to our country.
As a former blues and jazz singer and co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, Congresswoman Slaughter understands this value and is especially proud of the thriving arts community in Rochester. From the Eastman School of Music to the Geva Theatre Center to the Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester boasts many world-class institutions dedicated to the celebration and creation of art. Congresswoman Slaughter will continue to be a strong advocate for creative thinking in Rochester and on Capitol Hill.
Priorities
- Federal Support: For every one dollar the United States spends on federal arts initiatives, nine non-federal dollars are leveraged, generating roughly $600 million in matching support. Investing in the arts is essential to creating jobs and boosting our economy, and Congresswoman Slaughter has worked to maintain that investment. Not only do the arts support millions of jobs in our country, but many studies have shown that students who study the arts perform significantly better in school. Congresswoman Slaughter understands that the arts are good for the economy and good for our students, and our federal budget should reflect that impact.
- Local Outreach: While advocating for the arts nationally, Congresswoman Slaughter is also deeply committed to ensuring that local community organizations in Rochester receive their fair share of funding. Congresswoman Slaughter knows that this support not only encourages creativity but also creates jobs and boosts Rochester’s economy.
- Awareness: Congresswoman Slaughter is dedicated to ensuring the arts receive their due attention on Capitol Hill and across the country. Her efforts range from working with arts advocates in the halls of Congress to engaging local artists in Rochester.
Accomplishments
- Congressional Arts Caucus: Congresswoman Slaughter is co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, which is a bipartisan organization that seeks to fund the arts through federal initiatives. Each year, the Arts Caucus’ major objective is to secure adequate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, and support other federal arts initiatives.
- Arts Funding: Congresswoman Slaughter has helped scores of national and local arts organizations obtain funding. In 2014, Congresswoman Slaughter announced over $1 million in grants for Rochester area arts and humanities projects. Recipients of the funds ranged from the University of Rochester to the Gateways Music Festival.
- Congressional Arts Competition: Congresswoman Slaughter is a proud participant in the nationwide Congressional Arts Competition. Each spring, high school students have the opportunity to join this visual art competition, which seeks to recognize and encourage artistic talent. A winner from each district travels to DC to
meet their representative and has their work displayed in the United States Capitol for a year. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. For additional information about this contest, please visit click here. - Arts Advocacy Day: Every year, Congresswoman Slaughter welcomes non-profit arts advocates from across the country to Capitol Hill as they prepare to discuss the importance of federal arts programs. Arts Advocacy Day includes national celebrities and arts enthusiasts from around the country who come to the Hill to discuss the importance of federal funding for the arts.
More on The Arts
Slaughter Launches 3rd Annual Congressional App Challenge for New York’s 25th Congressional District
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-25) launched the third annual Congressional App Challenge to promote innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The Congressional App Challenge is designed to stimulate high school students’ creativity and increase participation in STEM education fields. Submissions are due by November 2, 2016.
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-25), co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, announced today that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded more than $400,000 in grant funding to the George Eastman Museum, Memorial Art Gallery, and the Strong. The funding will strengthen the ability of these Rochester museums to serve the public. Slaughter is the co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus and has worked to ensure robust support for IMLS.
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (NY-25), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, today welcomed to Rochester Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the nation’s leading federal arts agency. Congresswoman Slaughter and Chairman Chu visited the Eastman School of Music, heard from students, and highlighted the importance of the arts to Monroe County and communities across the nation.
ROCHESTER, NY — Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, announced that more than $462,000 has been awarded to four local museums by the federally funded Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) announced a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for the George Eastman House to create an interactive Technicolor Online Research Archive. The free, web-based archive will be available for historians, researchers, and academics to study the incredible influence of Technicolor on American cinema and popular culture in the 20th century.
WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ), co-chairs of the bipartisan House Arts Caucus highlighted the National Endowment for the Arts and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report outlining the major impact the creative sector has on the U.S. economy. This year’s report, released today, found that arts and cultural production contributes 4.32% to GDP, and more than $698 billion to the economy. The latest figures are a substantial increase from the last BEA report in December 2013, which estimated a $504 billion economic input and 3.25% GDP.
WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus, welcome non-profit arts advocates from across the country to Capitol Hill as they prepare to discuss the importance of federal arts programs with Members of Congress. This will be the 27th annual summit hosted by Americans for the Arts and the Congressional Arts Caucus with over 85 Arts Advocacy Day Co-Sponsors, and 450 arts advocates from around the country.