Tools to promote arts advocacy. (Music in the Community).(Brief Article)

We are living in a remarkable era right now, especially related to the arts! People care about the arts. I don't know about your state, but in Oklahoma the economic future is a little bleak because of the September attack, and budget cuts are necessary. However, through the advocacy efforts of many people to inform and educate our legislature, the budget cuts for public education and the Oklahoma Arts Council were held to a minimum. People realize that funding to those two entities alone are critical as new companies and families look for life-enriching educational and cultural opportunities before they move to Oklahoma. The arts are important. Arts education is essential to each young American student.

MTNA promotes that philosophy. The June/July issue of American Music Teacher is filled with articles concerning the love of music and the importance of music education, exemplified by the quotes of many influential members of Congress. MTNA President Dr. R. Wayme Gibson, NCTM, wrote that the organization should focus on the music education of "everyday music students ... not just the super talented ..." and yet continue to support and be proud of our excellence in the training of these national MTNA winners. In other words, everyone deserves to receive education in music: and the other arts.

This philosophy is not new, nor did it just happen. Caring, committed people work very hard to promote it wherever they are: in business, in legislature and in Congress, on school boards, in life! Gone are the days when a music teacher could just teach and not be involved in self-promotion and advocacy. Today, music teachers constantly must be aware of politics, the economic climate of their community and the administration of public schools and colleges. The arts always are threatened, but more and more people who are policy makers and purse string holders have realized (or been made aware of) the essential nature of education in the arts.

The MTNA national Community Outreach and Education Committee was created for this focus. The Board of Directors recently decided to change the committee's name to Arts Awareness and Advocacy beginning in 2003. During the 2002 MTNA National Conference in Cincinnati, the committee met and asked Gibson and Executive Director Dr. Gary L. Ingle to request of the Board that we use the new name now so that we could begin to direct our attention to arts advocacy. The Board agreed.

Many MTNA members attended ...