Ohio State’s Central Ohio Student Advocates for the Arts (COSAA) group attended a series of conferences in Washington, D.C. from March 6-8 for Arts Advocacy Day, thanks to support from the Ohio Arts Council, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and Ohio State. The group consisted of 28 Ohio State students (12 graduate students, 16 undergraduate) from the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy (AAEP) and seven Columbus Emerging Arts Leaders.

Arts Advocacy Day, organized by Americans for the Arts, brings together arts supporters from across the nation to present a unified message to members of Congress about the importance of the arts and how vital it is that they support for legislation that furthers the arts in America.

COSAA is part of a national organization whose mission is to empower student voices in influencing legislation and policy affecting the arts and public arts funding.

“I was already extremely passionate about arts and arts education, but I would have to say that going to D.C. and participating firsthand in Arts Advocacy Day made me even more passionate and excited about the arts and their power to transform lives," said Elle Pierman, a second year master’s student pursuing a degree in arts policy and administration. “It is one thing to be in school and study the arts, and it is quite another to be able to go to Capitol Hill and speak to the people who make the laws. I learned a lot about how the arts affect the economy, education and communities during the conference, and I plan to use some of the information I gathered in my future research papers and endeavors.”

Gretchen McIntosh, who graduated from Ohio State in 2015 with a PhD in cultural policy, was thrilled to be part of the advocacy group, too. “I continue to be part of the trip because I believe it is a priority to meet with our representatives and tell them what is important to us. I also believe it is a priority to provide this opportunity to the next generation of arts leaders,” she said. “My involvement after graduation is a communication of my passion; I think it is empowering as an American citizen to express your voice and have it heard.”

During the conference, the advocates learned about what advocacy is and what messages they wanted to present to Congress members. They learned about National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding, arts education policies, tax policies, Congressional support records for each member of Congress, and facts and figures to make their case throughout the sessions.

Each Ohio State team — comprised of undergraduate students, graduate students and working professionals — was scheduled to meet with two members of Congress or their legislative aides. The teams got the chance to share personal stories about the arts, explain why they were so passionate about them, make their case and present their request.

“Luckily for my group, both of our Congress members (Steve Stivers and Marcy Kaptur) were already members of the Congressional Arts Caucus, so their aides were excited about what we had to say,” Pierman said. “I felt very empowered when I lobbied, and I realized how important it is to come together as a nation and really make an effort to advocate for what you believe in.”

By Tatiana Tomley, ASC Communications student