Stimulating the Arts in America

There's been a lot of back-and-forth about lately about the proposed stimulus package for our ailing economy. It's also been said that you can judge a country's overall health by how it values the arts. Shouldn't any attempt at economic recover include the people who contribute to American culture?

That's precisely what Americans for the Arts — a 45 year-old nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in the US — is advocating for. In a January 25 article in the New York Times, AFTA president Robert L. Lynch says “the artist’s paycheck is every bit as important as the steelworker’s paycheck or the autoworker’s paycheck.”

Arts groups are urging federal departments like Transportation or Labor to factor culture into their financing. A transportation enhancement program, for example, could pay artists for related public artworks; through the Labor Department displaced arts professionals could receive new training to stay in the work force. “Every one of these places is a vehicle through which the money is going to flow, and we want to make sure the arts is part of it,” Mr. Lynch said.

One of the most pressing concerns for artists — including musicians — is a lack of health insurance. (FMC's Health Insurance Navigation Tool, or HINT is a free service for musicians to learn about their health insurance options.) But the market downturn has had an even more far-reaching effect, including job losses and the erosion of educational opportunities for those looking to hone skills or learn about American culture.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment bill that is currently winding its way through Congress includes $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts to be spread out among nonprofit arts organizations as well as state and municipal institutions. In addition, arts groups like AFTA are hoping to convince various federal agencies like the departments of Transportation and Labor to include culture in their agendas.

But don't call it a government giveaway: “I don’t think of this as a bailout for the arts,” Lynch says. “It’s an economic investment in the arts.” We at FMC think that's money well spent.

FMC at APAP 2009!

Attention, New Yorkers!

FMC is partnering with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and FTM Arts Law to present a special copyright/royalties track at the 2009 APAP Conference in NYC. This years' event takes place at the Sheraton and Hilton Hotels in the Big Apple from January 9-13.

The three sessions FMC is participating in will look at the basics of copyright, contracts and royalties (Sunday, Jan. 11), a best practices discussion/support group for folks who have encountered royalties and copyright issues in their presenting/producing work (Monday, Jan. 12), and a policy update on where the copyright landscape is headed (Friday, Jan. 9).

Scroll down for more info on the presentations/discussions.

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Media Ownership Matters! + 2008 Copyright Policy Roundup Friday, 1/9/09, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sheraton New York in Conference Room I

Wondering if radio is ever going to play anything good again? Sure the internet has changed everything, but will “net neutrality” change the internet? So what are these “white spaces?" Heard about Orphan Works, but not sure what they are? So when are they going to straighten out all the “gray areas” around royalties and copyright anyway? Will the webcasting rates ever be settled?

Join Future of Music Coalition for an artist and presenter-friendly roundup of major technology, copyright, and policy issues from 2008, as well as the first look at what to expect from the new administration in 2009.

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Copyrights and Licenses: Myths and Misunderstandings Sunday, January 11, 2009 from 9:30am – 11:30am Hilton, Sutton North

As with other industries that create and sell valuable assets, the performing arts industry creates, manages, and sells passion and experiences in the form of words, sound, images, design, and movement. Issues regarding the ownership of and rights to use such materials are important not only for those who create them, but the managers and agents who promote them and the presenters and venues which display them. The internet, digitalization, and other new technologies have made these issues even more complex.

With expertise in representing and counseling clients in the fields of entertainment and the performing arts, and in simplifying and de-mystifying the complex and arcane, Brian Taylor Goldstein will present basic concepts and practical considerations in the areas of copyright protection, rights management, and licensing the rights necessary to use materials created and owned by others. He will also be on hand to address your specific questions and concerns.

- How can I protect my own work?
- When do I need or not need to obtain permission to use someone else’s work?
- How do I obtain permission to use someone else’s work?
- What special challenges are posed by the Internet?

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Intermediate/Advanced Copyright Issues Roundtable Monday, 1/12/09, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Sheraton New York in Conference Room I

A follow up to Sunday morning’s “Copyrights and Licenses: Myths and Misunderstandings” basic session, this interactive session brings together presenters, agents and artists to share horror stories, best practices, and get the straight facts on practical issues around royalties, copyrights, and
licenses.

Hosted by Ann Chaitovitz from Future of Music Coalition and Brian Taylor Goldstein of FTM Arts Law.

Attend National Performing Arts Convention for Free!

Attention Colorado readers (we know you're out there)!

As you may know, FMC makes all of its events free for musicians. We also do our best to offer free musician access to the events we participate in. It's all because we believe artist voices need to be heard in discussions about the future of music. Case in point: the upcoming National Performing Arts Convention, which takes place in Denver on June 10-14. If you're a musician and would like to attend, you could be in luck, as FMC snagged a handful of free registrations for artists.

NPAC is a major convening of people and organizations in the fields of music, dance, opera, theater and other disciplines. The event brings 5,000 members of the performing arts community to Denver to participate in a wide variety of panels, breakout discussions, workshops and art-making sessions. Two major themes of the convention are ArtsTown 2028, a vision for the future of arts in local communities presented by the city of Denver, and a three-day Town Hall Meeting overseen by AmericaSpeaks, during which every convention delegate will have an opportunity to have his or her voice heard in drafting the arts advocacy agenda for the next four years.

Some of the breakout sessions look pretty interesting, too. "The Art of Living or Living for Art: A Survival Guide for Artists" and "Fun With Critics" are but two that caught our eye. Check out the full list here.

Email jean@futureofmusic.org to find out how to apply for a scholarship. [Caveat: FMC and NPAC cannot pay travel or lodging expenses. We may, however, be able to provide info about other organizations who could help in this regard.]