The South Carolina
Arts Alliance sponsors the Legislative Appreciation
Luncheon in honor of the S.C.
Legislative Arts Caucus and attendees will include arts leaders such as yourself,
as well as members of the General Assembly.
We will
have an exciting program featuring important arts
issues and special recognitions. Each legislator
will have received an invitation from the Arts Alliance
to be a guest at the luncheon. The event will also
be listed on the House and Senate calendar. You may
want to let your legislator know in advance that
you will be in attendance and looking forward to
sitting together at lunch.
There will be a registration table and luncheon attendees
will be seated at tables with other colleagues and
legislators from their county or region. Check in at
the registration table, pick up your nametag, and pay
for your lunch, if you have not taken care of that
in advance. (You can be invoiced as well.) Our SCAA “greeter” will
have a seating list and can help you find your appropriate
table (such as the “Greenville” or “Charleston” tables),
based on advance registration.
Because last minute conflicts may arise, such as a
called committee meeting, your legislator may not be
able to attend the luncheon, even if he/she has responded
in the affirmative. These conflicts while disappointing may be unavoidable. However,
many legislators who have not made advanced reservations may also arrive for
lunch and will need to be seated. Be prepared for someone to sit at your table
that is not from your area. You should not have trouble making conversation about
the arts with anyone! Please use this time to make friends and build relationships
with these policymakers.
Make use of the “talking points” from the
SCAA Arts Advocacy Handbook on
this web site.
This is a good time to thank legislators for their
support of the arts last year, after several years
of budget cuts, and ask for their continued support.
If not
already a member, encourage your legislator to join the Arts Caucus! (There
are forms in the SCAA Arts Advocacy Handbook or at the SCAA web site).
Be
prepared
to share some good news about the arts in your community and schools – and
remember to send a thank you note to the legislators you meet.
At the luncheon, you’ll hear from the
House and Senate Co-Chairs of the Legislative Arts Caucus. There will be a presentation of the Kennedy
Center Alliance
for Arts Education Network’s Creative Ticket National School of Distinction
Award by the S.C. Alliance for Arts Education and a special student performance
by students from Richland School District 2. You will receive a special “Creative
Industries” Report – a research-based approach to understanding
the scope and economic importance of the arts in your county – an excellent
advocacy tool!
