RESOURCES

FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

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CIVIC ARTISTS PROJECT MAILING LIST
Artists have a vital role to play in government and now is the time. The Civic Artists Project mailing list is intended to keep you up-to-date about news, opportunities and critical thinking around embedding artists in government.



CIVIC ARTS LIBRARY
In this resource hub, Civic Arts gathers together a number of creative placemaking resources from around the field and organizes them with a local government audience in mind. Resources can be found organized with descriptions by topic and project stage. This library also includes a compendium of webinars, blogs, and learning modules designed for the Engaging Local Government Leaders community and are free and available to the public. This resource is a “living library” and will continue to grow over time.



CLOSING THE WATER ACCESS GAP IN THE US: A NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
Over the last three years, the US Water Alliance has been on a journey to understand how water systems affect vulnerable people and to advance more equitable water management practices. We developed a national framework and produced the most comprehensive report to date on the water access challenge, using data analysis and on-the-ground research to understand the numbers and accelerate promising solutions. Through this research, they found that more than two million Americans live without access to running water, indoor plumbing, and safe sanitation. In response, we've crafted a four-part action plan to solve this challenge: Reimagine the Solution, Deploy Resources Strategically, Build Community Power, and Foster Creative Collaboration.



CONGRESSIONAL ARTS HANDBOOK 
The Congressional Arts Handbook, compiled annually to support the work of participants at Arts Advocacy Day, was released to support year-round advocacy efforts and the National Arts Action Summit, which brings together arts advocates and cultural and civic organizations from across the country. This resource seeks to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. Within its pages advocates will find facts, figures, related legislation, research, talking points, and other resources to help inform arts advocacy.



CREATIVE AGING STRATEGY
The arts contribute to healthy aging, making them an effective tool for addressing the wellness needs of older Americans who are living longer and healthier lives than they did a generation ago. Creative aging—which is a set of practices that leverages the benefits of making, sharing or otherwise engaging in the arts to foster the mental, emotional and physical health and well-being of older adults—will become an increasingly important resource in the health care continuum. State arts agencies are poised to be key facilitators in leveraging the arts and this strategy sampler summarizes the many ways state arts agencies can foster creative aging. It lifts up model programs and discusses how the arts can support older adults in community settings as well as medical facilities. 



CREATIVE PLACEMAKING AND THE NEA: UNPACKING A MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE
The role of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in shaping the arts and cultural sector is not well understood. This paper focuses on the development of the governance of the creative placemaking policy to unpack the complexity of the role of the NEA.