Our key advocacy goals include:
- Build public will for the arts and arts education
- Increase public funding for the arts at the federal, state and local level through direct communication with our elected officials and through participation in collective efforts of arts advocacy coalitions and associations
- Promote creative sector friendly legislation and oppose legislation that impedes the work of the sector
- Monitor adherence by Orange County’s schools and districts to fulfilling State-mandated instructional responsibilities in music, art, dance and theatre, and advocate for remedial steps when necessary
- Ensure that Orange County’s artists and arts organizations are fairly represented on public funding peer-review panels and Boards
- Provide a platform for the arts community to meet and engage directly with our elected officials to educate them about the needs and concerns of their constituents
- Provide regular briefings to the arts community about the status of arts advocacy efforts on their behalf
- Offer advocacy training to artists, arts educators, arts leaders and arts patrons to build their effectiveness
Arts Orange County is a member of Americans for the Arts, our nation’s principal arts advocacy organization, the California Arts Advocates, our state’s principal arts advocacy organization, and Create CA, our state’s principal advocacy organization for arts education.
To discover up-to-date news about arts issues, pending legislation, and calls to action, please visit the following:
For the National Level
For the State Level
For the State Level
For State Arts Education
Research That Empowers
The arts and creative industries are major economic drivers in Orange County and throughout the Southern California region. California’s creative economy employs over 1.8 million workers, accounting for nearly 7.6% of the state’s workforce. In addition, the state’s creative economy directly contributes 14.9% ($507.4 billion) of the state’s $3.4 trillion economy
The Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region reports that 1 out of 7 jobs today are in the creative industries and Arts Orange County is a proud partner in its ongoing efforts to provide powerfully supporting data. Now you can access volumes of data through their new, interactive dashboard.
Advocacy in Action
ArtsOC organized and facilitated a meeting on July 22, 2020 of local arts leaders with Congresswoman Katie Porter (45th District) regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their organizations.
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (right) and Rick Stein at a gathering in Newport Beach.
