Resources for supporting Arts Access for All
Flyers
Informational community flyer
Congressional one-pager
Conversation templates
Contact your local legislators to support the Arts Access for All.
You can find your local legislators on the MA Legislator website. After entering your location, the map will reveal your local representative and senator. Clicking on their name will bring you to their profile page with their contact information, including email, address, phone number, and fax number.
You will likely speak with the legislative aide. They will listen, take notes, and forward your message to your legislator. The following template will help you be clear and concise.
The aide will ask you why you are calling:
Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME]. I am a constituent living in [YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY]. I am calling today to ask Senator/Representative [LEGISTATOR’S NAME] to support Arts Access for All, also known as the Lowell Mason Arts Education Equity Act, or H.4297 bill.
The aide may follow-up asking why the bill is important to you:
The public schools in our district deserve high-quality arts education. If passed, this legislation guarantees that an additional 1% of each school district’s foundation budget will be added to its calculated MA state school aid (“Chapter 70”) and earmarked solely for Arts Education.. This will allow us to offer more music, visual arts, theatre, media arts, and dance opportunities for our students. This new state aid for Arts Education supplements each district’s Chapter 70 funds. It does not supplant it. Additionally, it will not increase local property taxes. [OPTIONAL: SHARE A PERSONAL STORY OR EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTS EDUCATOR, PARENT, OR STUDENT]
The aide will likely ask for you address and zipcode (to verify you as a constituent):
I am a constituent living at [YOUR FULL ADDRESS, ZIPCODE, CITY]. I live near [NAME OF YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL].
The aide may ask if you want a written response (i.e. confirmation) from your legislature:
Yes, I want a written response from Senator/Representative [LEGISTATOR’S NAME].
Don’t forget to thank the aide for taking the time to speak with you!
I hope that Senator/Representative [LEGISTATOR’S NAME] will support Arts Access for All. Thank you so much for your time and for making sure my voice is heard.
Legislators receive a lot of email every day. The following template will help your email stand out in their crowded inbox. You can also modify this template to send a fax or letter.
Subject line
[YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY] Constituent: Support H.4297 (Lowell Mason Arts Education Equity At)
Message
Dear Senator/Representative [LEGISTATOR’S NAME]
My name is [NAME], and I am a constituent living in [NEIGHBORHOOD/CITY]. I am writing to ask you to support Arts Access for All, also known as the Lowell Mason Arts Education Equity Act, or H.4297 bill.
The public schools in our district deserve high-quality arts education. If passed, this legislation guarantees that an additional 1% of each school district’s foundation budget will be added to its calculated MA state school aid (“Chapter 70”) and earmarked solely for Arts Education. This will allow us to offer more music, visual arts, theatre, media arts, and dance opportunities for our students. This new state aid for Arts Education supplements each district’s Chapter 70 funds; it does NOT supplant it. More importantly, it will NOT increase local property taxes.
[OPTIONAL: SHARE A PERSONAL STORY OR EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTS EDUCATOR, PARENT, OR STUDENT]
Research clearly shows that arts education improves student engagement, social-emotional health, and academic outcomes, making this legislation an important investment for the students in our district and across the Commonwealth!
I look forward to hearing from you, and I hope that you will support Arts Access for All.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR FULL ADDRESS]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]