Status Update: COVID Relief, Visa Fees, Voter Engagement, and Music Education
Continue Speaking Up for COVID-19 Arts Relief!; Visa Petition Fee Increases Next Week; Arts in Education Week, All Year Long; Nonprofits CAN Encourage Voter Engagement
Arts in Education Week, All Year Long
While last week officially marked National Arts in Education Week, dedicated advocates know that school-based music education requires advocacy throughout the year. COVID-19 is disrupting how, where, and what students are learning in unprecedented ways, but the value of arts education remains high: Arts Education Is Essential.
Visa Petition Fee Increases Next Week
U.S. petitioners that program international guest artists should prepare for steep fee increases in filing visa petitions with USCIS, effective next Friday, October 2, 2020. New versions of the Form I-129 were to have been released well in advance of this date, but as of September 23, the public is still awaiting approved versions of the new and I-129 forms.
Volunteer Notes
Volunteer Notes is published four times a year by the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras, the nonprofit service and educational organization dedicated to the development of American symphony orchestras and to the cultural vitality of the communities they serve.
Voter Engagement, Latest Policy Updates, and Resources
Nonprofit Resources for Voter Engagement; Federal COVID-19 Relief Negotiations Still Ongoing; Data Drives Decisions: Explore New Arts Education Data Toolkit; Visa Policy: Engaging Artists from Abroad Amidst COVID-19
Data Drives Decisions: Explore New Arts Education Data Toolkit
For far too long, inadequate data about the state of arts education in schools has allowed structural inequities to persist, which has prevented many students from experiencing, learning about, and becoming practitioners of the arts in their schools. Earlier this month, the National Endowment for the Arts and Education Commission of the States released a new suite of resources that has been two years in the making–the Arts Education Data Toolkit.
Visa Policy: Engaging Artists from Abroad Amidst COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only forced the cancelation and postponement of countless concerts, it has also caused tremendous uncertainty regarding the participation of international artists in future events.
Join Fellow Arts Advocates: Speak Up by This Friday!
While lead negotiators may have stepped away from the table, Congress continues to consider the scope and scale of the next massive package of COVID-19 relief. The details really matter, and you can add your voice once again by contacting Congress this week, alongside colleagues in the broader performing arts sector.
State of Play: News on Federal Relief, Visa Fee Hikes, and FY21 Funding Progress
Continued Advocacy Needed! Next Federal Relief Package Nears Completion; Quick Federal Policy News; Steep Artist Visa Fee Increases and Policy Changes to Take Effect October 2, 2020; U.S. House Recommends NEA and Arts Education Increases for FY21; Music Education is Essential
Music Education is Essential
The League joined more than fifty national organizations issuing the statement, Arts Education Is Essential (PDF), which succinctly reminds school administrators and the public that — especially in the context of COVID-19 — arts education contributes to the social and emotional well-being of students, encourages student expression, and is essential to a well-rounded education for all students.