Giving Compass' Take:

• American for the Arts highlights the work being done by the State Arts Action Network (SAAN), an advocacy group with a presence in 42 states, which has helped save funding and pushed for arts education across the U.S.

• From Delaware to South Dakota, SAAN has been successful in preserving government support for the arts, but nonprofits in the sector should realize that many programs and initiatives remain underfunded. The main thrust is that the philanthropists who support the arts need to remain focused and active.

• In case you need more motivation, here's why dance and arts education have value.

Whoosh. The sound that just whizzed by your ear was the collective sigh of relief from arts advocacy leaders nationwide. Arts Advocacy Day? 650+ attendees, over 300 congressional offices visited — check. Status of the federal FY 2018 budget? The U.S. Congress passed the final version, and President Trump signed off on the budget plan that includes $3 million increases to both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities — check. Our work here is done.

Just kidding.

Despite the fact that FY 2018’s passage was five months overdue, as well as the elimination for the federal cultural agencies once again included in the current FY 2019 budget proposal — advocacy promoting arts and arts education funding and policy doesn’t just exist at the federal level. While the federal government funds the NEA at $152.3 million, state governments invest $357.5 million into state arts agencies. However, like the NEA, state arts agencies cannot lobby regarding appropriations, law, legislation, or policy, in their official capacity.

Enter the State Arts Action Network — a professional development network of Americans for the Arts comprised of 53 state arts advocacy and service organizations from 42 states. SAAN members work around the clock advocating for pro-arts and pro-arts education funding and policies in their home states. The SAAN meets in person three times every year to share best practices, network with their colleagues, and advise Americans for the Arts’ State and Local Government Affairs team on key policy initiatives.

Read the full article about arts advocacy on the state level by Elisabeth Dorman at ARTS Blog.