National Arts Leaders Convene at AFTACON Amidst Draconian Federal Cuts as Data Proves The Arts Are A “Need to Have” Not “Nice to Have”

As threats to arts funding intensify nationwide, hundreds of arts leaders will gather in Cincinnati this June to protect and advance a sector that drives $1.2 trillion in economic activity and accounts for 4.2% of U.S. GDP—surpassing transportation, construction, and agriculture. The Americans for the Arts Annual Convention (AFTACON), June 11-14, brings together cultural leaders, advocates, and organizations at a crucial moment when the arts face unprecedented challenges, including widespread National Endowment for the Arts grant cancellations.