Press release - 08 April 2005

National Campaign for the Arts hits the campaign trail

With a general election and a new government looming large on the horizon, the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) is taking its message out to the regions. Over the next four months, the NCA will hold an advocacy seminar in each government region, showing local arts organisations how to lobby their MPs for a strong arts policy.

The general election falls in the middle of the seminar series. This means that the NCA will be able to show delegates how to lobby both campaigning candidates and a new government. The NCA will provide delegates with briefing papers, practical lobbying tips and key questions to ask prospective and new MPs. It will also offer advice on how to get the most out of the NCA Arts Manifesto, which will be used before and after the election to encourage politicians to think seriously about their arts policy.

The seminars are open to NCA members and other interested parties and will offer a chance to influence policy as well as valuable campaigning advice. As a member driven organisation, the NCA actively seeks the views and experiences of its members when planning campaigns. The regional advocacy seminars are an opportunity for artists and arts organisations to feed into current campaigns and to suggest new ones.

Victoria Todd, Director of the NCA, said: "This is a crucial few months for the arts. We need to make an impact before, during and after the election. A strong campaign at this stage could make all the difference. I look forward to working with regional colleagues to ensure politicians understand that there are votes in the arts."

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