Obama on the Arts

OBAMA ON THE ARTS – A CHAMPION IN THE SENATE
Source: http://www.artsactionfund.org/pdf/artsvote/Obamaarts1.pdf

Obama supports allowing artists to deduct the fair market value of their work for charitable contributions. Obama supports the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow artists to deduct the fair market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.

Obama supports the National Endowment for the Arts. According to ‘Americans for the Arts’ study Arts & Economic Prosperity III, the nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity annually for the U.S. economy, supports 5.7 million full-time jobs, and returns $12.6 billion in income tax revenue back to the federal government. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the largest annual funder of the arts in the United States. Barack Obama supports increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, including the $35 million increase in Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations that was recently approved by the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.[http://www.nea.gov/about/Facts/AtAGlance.html, accessed 6/11/07]

A LIFETIME COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS
Obama Voted to Increase Vocational Education Programs by Reimbursing Arts Organizations. Obama voted to reimburse nonprofit arts and humanities organization and cultural institutions for the costs of providing educational programs to students. [90th GA, HB 1751, 5/15/97, 3R P; 50-7-0; P.A. 90-0361, 5/15/97]

Obama Sponsored a Member Initiative for The Hyde Park Youth Symphony. In 2001, Obama sponsored a $2,500 member initiative for the Hyde Park Youth Symphony for community outreach and recruitment. [Illinois FIRST Member Initiative, Granted 6/4/01]

Hyde Park Youth Symphony Was a Community Organization That Looked to Instill in Children ‘A Love For Music That Will Last a Lifetime.’ The HPYS website read, “The Hyde Park Youth Symphony is a community-based organization dedicated to providing a high-quality arts experience to children on the south side of Chicago and nurturing in them a love for music that will last a lifetime. The Symphony serves a broad range of children and families, from a variety of public, private, and homeschool programs, and from a diversity of racial, ethnic, educational, and economic backgrounds.” [Hyde Park Youth Symphony Website, Accessed 3/19/07]

Obama Sponsored a Member Initiative for Mostly Music. In 2000, Obama sponsored a member initiative for Mostly Music for $2,500 for a public school arts enrichment education program. Mostly Music at Northeastern Illinois University presents professional chamber music concerts and outreach activities on campus and in neighborhoods throughout Chicago. Joyce Turner Hilkavitch, executive director of Mostly Music, said “Mostly Music’s unique niche is to enhance interaction between musicians and listeners by holding group discussions of the music following each concert… Chicago is a great music center and a wonderful place to present young artists. Mostly Music specializes in more intimate settings.” [Illinois FIRST Member Initiative, Granted 11/30/00; Chicago Tribune, 10/2/92; http://www.neiu.edu/NEIU%20Events/Mostly%20Music/Mostly_Music.html, accessed 6/11/07]

Mostly Music Provided Concert and Outreach Access to Chamber Music. The Mostly Music website reads, “Mostly Music at Northeastern Illinois University presents concerts on campus and in private and public venues throughout the Chicago area. Established in July, 2001 to carry on the rich tradition of Mostly Music Inc., an organization founded over 30 years ago, Mostly Music at NEIU will continue to preserve, promote, and invigorate music and the lively arts… The neighborhood concert series offers chamber music concerts in homes in throughout Chicago and the north suburbs, providing chamber music devotees with an opportunity to hear live, first-rate performances in an intimate, traditional and non-traditional venues,,, Outreach programs include over 75 concerts each year in senior facilities (funded by the Rothschild Foundation), as well as performances in hospitals and residencies in Chicago Public Schools.” [Mostly Music At NIU Website, accessed 3/19/07]

Obama Sponsored a Member Initiative for the Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library. In 2001, Obama sponsored a member initiative for the Blackstone Branch for $5,000 to conduct poetry workshops, jazz concerts, and to advertise for those events. [Illinois FIRST Member Initiative, Granted 6/13/01]

Obama Sponsored a Member Initiative for the Hyde Park Art Center. In 2001, Obama sponsored a member initiative for $15,000 for the Hyde Park Art Center for facility planning as they worked to expand their space. [Illinois FIRST Member Initiative, Granted 2/20/01]

Obama Sponsored a Member Initiative for Jazz Unites. In 2001, Obama sponsored a member initiative for Jazz Unites for $5,000 to extend their program for 2-3 weeks. [Illinois FIRST Member Initiative, Granted 8/20/01]