Relief for artist's student loans and National Arts Advocacy Day April 13th

I National Arts Advocacy Day -April 13th

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• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Checklist

• Obama's $50 million stimulus to the arts
  

• Coming Up Taller Award (PCAH) Michelle Obama

• Using Arts to fight a recession

Help for starving artists
History has revealed a predictable pattern; When the socioeconomic climate hits a downturn, "luxury cutbacks" are the first defense. Regrettably, the fabric of our educational system, has woven the curriculum of art into the expendable threads, so easily trimmed during school board budget talks. In light of National Arts Advocacy Day, April 13th, it is essential to promote the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and it's signs that tides are finally taking a turn for the better. Under this plan, employment in the public arts, after college can qualify artists for relief/forgiveness of those debilitating and ceaseless student loan payments.

Lose the loans
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is intended to provide financial incentive and reward to those who choose and remain in a career in public service. "Public service" is broadly defined in the legislation to include any federal, state, or local government organization or agency and most charitable non-profit organizations (primarily 501c3, but not exclusively). You become eligible for principal and interest forgiveness after 120 on-time monthly payments while working for a qualified organization.

Education is a social process. Education is growth.
Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself ~John Dewey

Last year, Huffington Post's Jon Chattman wrote of the Forgive Student Loans Debt campaign launched by attorney Robert Applebaum, whose Facebook group now includes over 260,000 supporters of his proposal, Forgive Student Loan Debt to Stimulate the Economy. Applebaum argued that forgiving student loan debts would allow a large population of the middle class to spend their earnings as consumers. Apparently, President Obama has seen some merit in this.

Public service and artists share a past of fruitful regeneration together ; Ranging from Roosevelt's WPA of the 1930's, to CETA of the 1970's. The public employment of artists is a foretaste of a “new and better day for art in this country.”

Even in this era of privatization, initiatives and programs are already in motion, further validating Obama's art policy to “Create an Artist Corps: Barack Obama and Joe Biden support the creation of an ‘Artists Corps’ of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities."

Barack took a question about reforming the education system at a town hall meeting on April 2, 2008.

• The National Campaign to Hire Artists to Work in Schools (N-CHAWS)
• The National Green Arts Corps (NGAC)
• The Music National Service Initiative

Americans for the Arts staffers urge artists to visit their website for grant applications and information.
 

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America For The Arts Action Fund
Research tells us that collectively, the arts are essential to a child’s development, that they’re an integral part of our economy, that they improve the health and vitality of people and communities around the world. But why do the arts matter to you? Maybe you love the inspiration and stress relief you get from painting in your spare time. Maybe you’re a teacher who has seen your students come alive throughout the year by taking an art class or learning to play a musical instrument. Maybe you’re a singer in a chorus who loves to express yourself through music. Or maybe you're a professional artist who relies on your skill and creativity as your livelihood. Whatever your reason, we want to hear from you. Why are the arts so important in your life?

Celebrate the arts in America by creating a video that tells "Why Arts Matter" to you.
Enter the Why Arts Matter Video Contest by uploading your video to YouTube here.
Read the official rules and regulations for details.
Key Dates for the Contest Create your "Why Arts Matter" video
April 1 - June 30: Upload your video
June: Preview of video submission at Americans for the Arts Annual Convention
July 1 - September 31: Voting period
October: Announcement of winners to kick off National Arts & Humanities Month