As pundits wonder whether or not President Trump will attend this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the politics of entertainment funding carries on. Following February’s think tank-esque National Arts Advocacy Summit in Las Vegas, The Creative Coalition (TCC) and an entertainment-community delegation will head to Capitol Hill the weekend of the dinner to speak directly with lawmakers for continued federal support of the arts. Amid a fraught backdrop that includes Trump’s firing of the Kennedy Center board and installing himself as chair, and Elon Musk calling for defunding NPR, TCC may face an uphill battle on April 25.
The Vegas summit in February set the strategy — to lead with economic impact. “The arts are not just a cultural asset — they are a cornerstone of economic growth and national prosperity,” said Tim Daly, TCC president. “The arts sector generates over $877 billion annually, accounting for 4.5 percent of the national GDP — a larger economic impact than transportation, agriculture and construction combined.” Robin Bronk, TCC CEO, adds, “Every $1 invested in the arts generates $9 dollars in economic activity — fueling job creation and small business growth. Supporting the arts isn’t charity — it’s sound economic policy. Strong arts programs correlate with lower crime rates, thriving local economies and higher student achievement.”
The weekend in Washington, D.C. will be packed with briefings, luncheons and meetings with members of Congress. Delegates include The White Lotus‘ Jason Isaacs, Marg Helgenberger, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s Rachel Bloom, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s Alex Borstein, Young Sheldon‘s Iain Armitage, NCIS‘ CCH Pounder and Queen Sugar’s Lorraine Toussaint and many others. The Hollywood Reporter is the official media partner of what The Creative Coalition calls its Right To Bear Arts Day, which is when the group will make presentations about the economic, educational and social benefits of the arts to the White House and on the Hill. THR will also be capturing fly-on-the-wall footage for a project that delves into the politics of maintaining the arts.
Founded in 1989 in response to President Ronald Reagan attempting to defund the National Endowment of the Arts, TCC will follow up its day on the Hill with its 24th annual Right To Bear Arts Benefit Gala Dinner, where they will gather members of Congress, Trump’s Cabinet, policymakers, business leaders and celebrities to promote the power of the arts.