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Dear Member,
 Our newest issue of our member magazine Arts Link showcases compelling and successful examples of how the arts are transforming communities across the country—including the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network in LA County and art in transit programs in communities such as San Antonio, Nashville, and Phoenix. This issue also features our redesigned National Arts Marketing Project website, a guide for emergency preparedness for our cultural communities, and writing on equity and inclusion by Jeff Chang, who will be a keynote speaker at the 2017 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention this June 16-18 in San Francisco.
It's an understatement to say this Spring has been a busy time for our field—we are communicating steadily to ensure that our elected officials understand the benefits of the arts to our communities and nation. Our combined advocacy efforts with all of you are essential, coming after the President's recent proposed budget which called for elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts and other federal cultural agencies. I urge you to visit our new online Arts Mobilization Centeroften, where you'll find the latest updates on arts advocacy, as well as tools you can use to speak up for the arts.
I hope you feel the support and partnership of Americans for the Arts. If you have ideas for how we can do even more, let us know. We want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in your work and throughout this federal budgeting process that will stretch into October. I also hope you are looking forward to meeting in June at the Annual Convention, like I am. It's when our field gets to connect about the challenges we face, but also celebrate our successes and double down on a future that is made up of our healthy, vibrant, and more equitable communities.
Thank you for all you do,
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