Arts Services Initiative of WNY to represent region's cultural sector at National Arts Advocacy Day

Executive director chosen as New York state captain

Arts Services Initiative of Western New York will be in Washington, D.C., March 22-24 to represent the region's cultural sector at National Arts Advocacy Day, an annual effort coordinated by Americans for the Arts. The program features a day of advocacy training, a lecture featuring Norman Lear and Common, and visits on Capitol Hill with members of the Congress and Senate. ASI has attended this yearly event since 2012.

ASI Executive Director Tod A. Kniazuk was chosen by Americans for the Arts as this year's New York state captain. He will coordinate the congressional visits, provide information to the participants and organize the team of attendees from throughout the state. In addition to the aforementioned activities, as state captain, Kniazuk will be involved in an additional day of training with the State Arts Action Network and will attend a briefing at the White House on national cultural issues.

In addition to educating the state's representatives on Western New York, national advocacy issues regarding National Endowment for the Arts funding, arts education, net neutrality and preserving the charitable contribution tax deduction will be covered.

"Arts Services Initiative is proud to carry the importance of Western New York's cultural organizations and individual artists to our representatives in Washington, and to stand with colleagues from across the country as we demonstrate the collective impact of our advocacy," Kniazuk said. "It's an honor to be chosen as state captain for this important effort, and it's great that we can provide that leadership from our part of the state."

Kniazuk will post updates about Arts Advocacy Day on the ASI Facebook page www.facebook.com/ASIwny and through the ASI Twitter account www.twitter.com/asiwny.