Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month 2022
This year’s theme, “The Arts Work,” will provide weekly opportunities to explore and establish how the arts work to heal, to build community, to advance justice, to empower youth and to create jobs. Each week will feature theme-based messaging campaigns to create public awareness and webinars featuring panel discussions with thought leaders and practitioners.
New to ACCM 2022 is The Arts Work Showcase, which invites artists and organizations of all disciplines to submit their projects as examples of these themes to a gallery on our website. This new program intends to uplift creative workers and honor their work with weekly drawings for a cash prize.
5 Ways to Engage in ACCM 2022
- 🗓 VIEW our training video: How to Engage in ACCM 2022
- 🗓 SUBMIT a project to the ACCM 2022 | The Arts Work : Showcase (Submissions Closed)
- 🗓 ATTEND weekly thematic webinars (every Friday through 4/29) View here
- 🗓 SIGN UP to be an Advocacy Week Delegate for your District
- 🗓 APRIL 25-29 | PARTICIPATE in advocacy week by taking action: meet, tweet, write!
2022 Arts, Culture & Creativity Month: The Arts Work
CFTA’s goals for the ACCM 2022 were (1) to raise visibility and educate on the value and impact of arts, culture & creative workers, (2) to engage the field in deepening and diversifying our understanding of that value, (3) to empower advocates to take action and (4) to develop strategic partnerships with thought leaders and cultural practitioners who are transforming the ecosystem of the arts with visionary policies and inclusive practices.
Download the Report
April is Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month in California
In 2019, Californians for the Arts (CFTA) successfully campaigned for the state to recognize and celebrate the arts by declaring April as Arts, Culture & Creativity Month (ACCM) through a concurrent resolution passed in the California Senate. In 2021, an additional resolution was declared to recognize artists as second responders.
CFTA directs this annual month-long spotlight on the arts to raise visibility and awareness about the value of our sector, to empower arts advocates to take action, and to spur greater investments in our industry and workforce.
- We celebrate and elevate our impacts through media campaigns and calls to action that increase our visibility and change the way that the arts are perceived.
- We lift these impacts to the Capitol during Advocacy Week, where arts delegates meet with legislators to press for their support.
- We activate the state with training and toolkits that spur local actions and increase the capacity for arts advocates to effect change.
- We educate with messaging campaigns and related webinars that generate discourse and new strategic possibilities for positioning the arts, culture and creative workers as essential partners in helping California address challenges and meet its promise.
The Arts Work: Webinars + Programs
The Arts Work Webinar Series takes a deeper dive into how artists, arts workers and culture bearers work to create vital social impacts and what the creative workforce needs to succeed and thrive in California. Each Friday at Noon in April, our 2022 webinars bring together a panel of thought leaders and practitioners around the impact themes to share their change making work and to discuss new strategic possibilities and the policy changes that we should be thinking about.
The Arts Work: Toolkits + Resources
Our goal is to activate the state and make it easy and educational for you to participate in ACCM2022. Use the following FREE toolkits and resources to generate a social media campaign, get your local government to proclaim April as Arts, Culture & Creativity Month, learn how to conduct a visit with your legislator and leverage local media to support getting your community talking about the value of the arts.
ACCM 2022 Legislative Summary
This summary outlines legislative budget requests and supported initiatives by California Arts Advocates to strengthen the arts and culture sector in California.
Local Proclamation Guide
Learn how how to obtain a public proclamation for ACCM to recognize and celebrate the arts in California, elevate public awareness of the value of arts, culture bearers, and creative workers, and encourage public investment.
Guide to Successful Advocacy
Get equipped with the tools needed for effective meetings with California legislators and their staff. The guide emphasizes that advocacy involves building relationships, identifying and researching issues, and educating legislators and their staff.
ACCM Press Release
To use this template, download the file as a word document and fill out the highlighted sections (or delete them as necessary); you can also make a copy to edit in Google Docs. If you send it out, be sure to include CFTA!
The Arts Work: Showcase
New to ACCM 2022 is The Arts Work: Showcase, which invites artists and organizations of all disciplines to submit their projects as examples of these themes to a gallery on our website. This new program intends to uplift creative workers and honor their work with weekly drawings for a cash prize.
Take Action During Advocacy Week, April 25-29
Contact Your Representatives During Arts Advocacy Week - CFTA Has All The FREE Tools!
Help us raise the visibility of the importance of funding for arts, culture and creative workers by reaching out to your legislators and asking for their support during Advocacy Week (April 25-29). We have all you need to hold a meeting, write a letter, send a postcard or make a phone call. All of these actions make a huge difference, especially during this critical time of state budget negotiations.
Let’s Activate the State! Here is how:
- Sign up for Action Alerts - Sign up to receive letter templates, phone call scripts and social media post templates with content related to ACCM and be ready for future advocacy actions
- Host a Postcard Party - Get a postcard to print and send as well as a toolkit with talking points
- Meet with Your Legislator - Get all you need to schedule and organize your meeting
- Get Ready For Advocacy Week Meeting | Wed. April 20th | 4 - 5:00pm FREE on Zoom
- If you have further questions, email Tracy at tracy@californiansforthearts.org
Get Ready For Advocacy Week
Wednesday April 20th | 4:00 - 5:00pm
Learn About the Issues & Budget Asks: A Conversation For Advocates Taking Action During ACCM
Discuss the issues, learn the budget asks and talking points and share tips & resources for effective advocacy to get ready for Arts Advocacy Week (April 25-29). This Zoom meeting is meant to support everyone who is participating in legislative visits, calling legislators, writing letters or submitting op-eds in support of state arts policies. CFTA policy leaders will be on hand to answer all questions and get everyone excited to create change.
Previous Years
Past Legislative Arts Star Award recipients include:
*Note: in 2020-21 : No awards were issued
2022
Governor Gavin Newsom
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva
2019
Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Senator Scott Wilk
2018
Senator Ben Allen
Senator Jim Nielsen
2017
Assemblymember Ian Calderon
The Arts Work: Sponsor
Become a Sponsor & Amplify Arts, Culture & Creativity Month
ACCM Sponsors are our vital partners in elevating the visibility and impact of ACCM, developing and activating arts advocates, and educating the public and elected officials on the value that arts, culture and creative workers create in our state. ACCM Sponsors are our vital partners in elevating the visibility and impact of ACCM, developing and activating arts advocates, and educating the public and elected officials on the value that arts, culture and creative workers create in our state. With direct reach to over 20,000 engaged arts advocates in the State and networks to hundreds of thousands arts organizations, creative businesses, arts workers, cultural bearers, elected officials, funders and arts patrons– your sponsorship puts you in front of committed and influential arts, culture and creative industries leaders. We look forward to working with you to create a customized Sponsor Visibility Package that honors your support.
Sponsorship PackageThank You to our Summit Sponsors
