Americans for the Arts Celebrates Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill

Americans for the Arts Celebrates Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill

Alec Baldwin, Pierre Dulaine, Ben Folds, Hill Harper, Melina Kanakaredes, Nigel Lythgoe, Omar Benson Miller, Johnathon Schaech, Charles Segars, Tiffani Thiessen and Clay Walker Also Among Event Participants

Washington, D.C. -- Americans for the Arts announces the event schedule for Arts Advocacy Day 2012. The 25th annual Arts Advocacy Day event is presented by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, in partnership with Ovation, the only multi-platform network celebrating all forms of artistic expression. It is also co-sponsored by more than 85 national organizations representing hundreds of thousands of arts, culture, business, civic and education institutions and individuals nationwide.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110816/LA52807LOGO)

Events include The Americans for the Arts 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, Congressional Arts Kick Off and a question and answer session and photo opportunity for the press. Details for each Arts Advocacy Day event follow:

The Americans for the Arts 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and
Public Policy:

Who: Alec Baldwin, Academy Award(R)-nominated and Emmy
Award(R)-winning film, TV, and stage actor and
activist; Maureen Dowd, Pulitzer Prize-winning
journalist; Ben Folds, noted singer-songwriter
and record producer; YoungArts alumni musicians,
Charles Segars, Ovation CEO and Co-Chair of Arts
Advocacy Day; Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO
of Americans for the Arts; Ken Fergeson, chairman
of the board of Americans for the Arts.

What: Alec Baldwin will deliver the 25th Annual Nancy
Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, a
leading national forum for arts policy, intended
to stimulate discussion of policy and social
issues affecting the arts. Maureen Dowd will
introduce Baldwin, and Ben Folds will perform
along with alumni musicians from YoungArts
immediately prior to the lecture.

When: Monday,April 16, 2012
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Where: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Concert Hall
2700 F St NW, Washington, D.C.

Why: The lecture provides an opportunity for public
discourse at the highest levels on the importance
of the arts and culture to our nation's well-
being.

Tickets: Seating is limited. RSVP is essential for members
of the media. Please contact Catherine Brandt at
cbrandt@artsusa.org for tickets and press
credentials. Press are advised to arrive by 5:30
p.m. for check in.

Congressional Arts Kick Off:

Who: Speakers at the Congressional Arts Kick Off
include:
-Alec Baldwin, Emmy Award(R)-winning TV, film and
stage actor and arts advocate
-Pierre Dulaine, celebrated ballroom dancer and
dance educator
- Ben Folds, celebrated singer-songwriter and
record producer
- Hill Harper, film and television actor, author
and Co-Chair of Arts Advocacy Day
- Melina Kanakaredes,film andtelevision actress
-Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans
for the Arts
-Nigel Lythgoe, producer of "American Idol" and
"So You Think You Can Dance"
- Omar Benson Miller, film and television actor
- Johnathon Schaech, actor, writer and director
- Charles Segars, Ovation CEO and Co-Chair of
Arts Advocacy Day
- Rep. Louise Slaughter, co-chair of the
Congressional Arts Caucus
- Tiffani Thiessen, television actress
- Clay Walker, renowned country music singer

What: The Congressional Arts Kick Off is held in
conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus
and marks the official start of Arts Advocacy Day
events on Capitol Hill. In addition, the
Congressional Arts Leadership Award will be
presented at the Kick Off. The award, which
recognizes distinguished service on behalf of the
arts, is part of a series of Public Leadership in
the Arts Awards given annually by Americans for
the Arts and The United States Conference of
Mayors.

When: Tuesday,April 17, 2012
8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
RSVP is essential for press coverage. Please
contact Catherine Brandt at cbrandt@artsusa.org.

Where: Cannon Caucus Room
345 Cannon House Office Building

Why: Delegation of artistswillremark on the importance
of the arts and arts education to the nation and
the need to increase funding to the National
Endowment for the Arts to $155 million. Their
comments will also underscore the importance of
developing strong public policies for the arts
and arts education. In addition, this high-
energy event is always full of great, unexpected
comments and sound bites. This year will be no
exception.

Press Q&A and Photo Opportunity Session:

Who: Artistic panel at this session includes:
-Alec Baldwin, Emmy Award(R)-winning TV, film and
stage actor and arts advocate
-Pierre Dulaine, celebrated ballroom dancer and
dance instructor
- Ben Folds, celebrated singer-songwriter and
record producer
- Hill Harper, film and television actor and
author and Co-Chair of Arts Advocacy Day
- Melina Kanakaredes, film andtelevision actress
-Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans
for the Arts
-Nigel Lythgoe, famed television producer and
director
- Omar Benson Miller, film and television actor
- Johnathon Schaech, actor, writer and director
- Charles Segars, Ovation CEO and Co-Chair of
Arts Advocacy Day
- Tiffani Thiessen, television actress
- Clay Walker, renowned country music singer

What: Artistic delegation will field questions from
media about their remarks made during the
Congressional Arts Kick Off.

When: Tuesday,April 17, 2012
10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Press - Please RSVP to Catherine Brandt at
cbrandt@artsusa.org.

Where: Cannon Caucus Room
345 Cannon House Office Building

Why: This event will provide press with an opportunity
to interact with the delegation of artists. In
addition, it will be the only moment during which
the artist panel will pose en masse for photos.
Arts Advocacy Day brings together a broad cross-section of America's cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, to advance the importance of developing and sustaining strong public arts policies and to advocate for increased public funding for the arts and arts education. Ovation CEO Charles Segars and Hill Harper are co-chairs of the event.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Ovation is the only multi-platform network celebrating art, artists and all forms of artistic story-telling. Its programming tells the stories of artists, their work, and the powerful impact art has on each of us. Ovation programming is a one-of-a-kind mix of original and selectively curated series, films, documentaries and specials. The network reaches a national audience of 51 million homes and is available on cable systems across the country, as well as nationally on DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse. Ovation is also available in HD and VOD (both in standard and high definition). Ovation extends its linear channel experience for viewers online via its popular website, www.ovationtv.com. In addition to offering contests, trivia, facts and supplemental video online, the network has created an award-winning online community (www.ovationtv.com/community) for everyone from passionate artists to the curious. To date, over 190,000 pieces of original art have been uploaded to the site by members.

Contacts:
For Americans for the Arts
--------------------------
Catherine Brandt
Press and Media Relations Manager
Tel: 202-712-2054
Email: cbrandt@artsusa.org
--------------------------

For Ovation
-----------
Patricia Frith Richard Hoffman
Patricia Frith Marketing Richard Hoffman Public Relations
Tel: 818-876-0480, Cell: 310 490-2368 Tel: 310-248-3647
Email: pfmarketing@roadrunner.com Email: richard@richardhoffmanpr.com
/PRNewswire -- April 13, 2012/

SOURCE Ovation

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110816/LA52807LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Ovation

Web Site: http://www.ovationtv.com

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