Texans for the Arts Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit arts organization, will host its annual Texas Arts Advocacy Summit and Awards in Waco on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Texas Arts Advocacy Day 2024
The daylong summit will open with remarks by Texans for the Arts (TFA) Board President, Fiona Bond, and Executive Director, Chris Kiley. Additional speakers include Dr. Gary Gibbs, Executive Director of the Texas Commission on the Arts; Heidi Marquez-Smith, CEO of the Texas Cultural Trust; and Americans for the Arts Vice President of Research, Randy Cohen, and Director of Community Engagement & Equity, Genna Styles-Lyas. Some topics that will be addressed throughout the day include relationship building, using data to advocate for the arts, and legislation about generative artificial intelligence.
In a press release, Mr. Kiley remarked, “Understanding how public support for the arts is appropriated and distributed at local, state, and national levels is vital to its success, as is forging relationships during this interim period between legislative sessions. Now is the time for creatives and supporters of the arts to get to know their elected officials, engage and educate them, and strategize our collective message for the next legislative session. It is also a pivotal moment for our field to come together to discuss threats and opportunities 21st-century technology is creating for us all and share important new data with our base to support their ongoing local advocacy efforts.”
In the evening, participants will have the opportunity to attend the Texas Arts Advocacy Awards, which honors champions of the arts from across the state, including individuals, organizations, and communities. The award categories are: Exceptional Grassroots Arts Advocate, Outstanding Arts Partnership, Corporate Champion for the Arts, Legislative Arts Advocate, and Lasting Community Impact Through Arts Advocacy.
The Summit will take place at the Cambria Hotel Waco University Riverfront from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the awards program will be hosted at the same venue from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Learn more about the event and register via the TFA website.
