Vote ARTS! NAMM and Americans for the Arts Present ARTSSpeak Panel at Republican and Democratic National Conventions

At the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, NAMM joined arts leaders from Americans for the Arts, the Arts Action Fund, and top policy makers and advocates to discuss the importance of arts policy and education. Aptly named ARTSSpeak, the national nonpartisan policy forum discussed the transformative power of the arts to impact 21st century learning, the economy, and healing, especially for wounded military veterans and their families.

Both panels included opening remarks from Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch and NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. Former Arkansas Governor and musician Mike Huckabee moderated the RNC ARTSSpeak panel, and Jeffrey Rosen, National Constitution Center President and CEO moderated the DNC panel. Congressional leaders, governors, mayors, performing artists, business leaders, and wellness advocates served as panelists, including Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Governor John Hickenlooper (CO), Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez (NM), West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, Oklahoma City Mayor and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Mick Cornett, musician Ben Folds, and actor, dancer, and singer, Ben Vereen. Additional participants included Maria Jukic, director of the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute; Karen Gahl-Mills, executive director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture; Akram Boutros, MetroHealth CEO; and Arthur Bloom, MusiCorps founder and director.

The NAMM Foundation’s “Talking Up Music Education” podcast was at both conventions to highlight the importance of music and arts education policy at the federal, state, and local levels. Guests included New York Times columnist and PBS News Hour contributor David Brooks and artists Ben Folds and Ben Vereen in a conversation with Robert Lynch, Joe Lamond, and NAMM Foundation Executive Director Mary Luehrsen. The recorded podcast will be released and available for free download starting August 23 from the iTunes store.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-up-music-education/id105108…

Event images are available for editorial use, with credit:   
ARTSSpeak @ RNC at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Credit: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
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ARTSSpeak @ DNC at The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Van Pelt Auditorium (Credit: Lisa Lake/Getty Images)  
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