Americans for the Arts Leads National Campaign for Arts and Community Service

Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, has
launched a new Web portal dedicated to the promoting community service opportunities for arts groups, arts volunteers, and artists nationwide. The website at http://SERVE.ARTSUSA.ORG is a place for volunteers in the arts to share stories and upload photos and videos related to their volunteer experiences. Inspired by President Obama's United We Serve initiative, Americans for the Arts is leading the nation's arts sector to be an active participant in this national summer of service.

"I encourage everyone in the arts to say yes to President Obama and commit to telling their story about the service they do for America. Collectively we can let America know how valuable the arts are for the creation of a better child, a better town, a better country, and a better world," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.

Arts groups around the country have signed on to be national partners for United We Serve: ARTSusa, a campaign to inspire and celebrate community service and engagement through the arts. For people of all ages and groups of all sizes, there are a numerous opportunities for arts volunteerism. A searchable database of volunteer opportunities is available at SERVE.ARTSUSA.ORG Community members are encouraged to seek volunteer opportunities at community-based arts organizations and local arts agencies. Arts organizations can expand their volunteer base by hosting opportunities for community members to volunteer and get involved. And artists are encouraged to volunteer their time to community-based service organizations.

A special United We Serve | Arts and Humanities conference call, hosted by the Corporation for National and Community Service incooperation with the White House Office of Public Engagement, will be talking place on August 27 at 3 pm (EST) to brief the arts community about United We Serve: ARTSusa, the serve.artsusa.org website, and how to plan events for the National Day of Remembrance and Service on September 11. Kalpen Modi, associate director, White House Office of Public Engagement, will moderate the call and will include speakers from Americans for the Arts, Corporation for National and Community Service, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and state humanities councils.

Please RSVP at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/serve/rsvp/index.asp to join the call.

Americans for the Arts also encourages visitors to SERVE.ARTSUSA.ORG to sign a petition in support of President Obama's proposed Artists Corps. During the campaign, he called for the creation of an "Artists Corps" of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. The strengthening of partnerships between national service initiatives and the arts can help to address un-met community needs in America, bringing the arts and humanities to places that need creativity and innovation the most.