All citizens have the right, responsibility and privilege to be involved in policy making. Advocacy plays a key role in our democracy, allowing groups of people to come together to share a united voice in support of policy and ideas to their elected representatives, and all should feel comfortable petitioning policy makers. Public participation is key to ensuring that these local, state and national leaders know your perspective! As a part of the broad arts community—whether an artist, performer, organizational leader, parent of children in schools, audience member or just a lover of the arts—you know the impacts and importance of a creative South Dakota first hand. Combine this with effective tools and tactics to talk to your school board, city council, state and national legislators and others to help make your voice heard.
Advocacy 101: Making your voice heard in the halls of power Step 1: PREPARE
Gather information—get the what, where, when and who sorted out so you can make a communication plan. Then gather the team and identify key messengers. Get your core community mobilized, those closest to the issue at hand. Create relationships with policy makers before you need them. Invite them to your events, send press releases and updates and send emails to thank them for policy you support. Policy makers are often approached critically, but not often thanked when they do something their constituents agree with. This helps build a trusting relationship.
Step 2: TELL THE STORY
Frame your story, remembering “No data without story, no story without data.” Always pair an impact story with data about that impact. Don’t assume the person you’re addressing knows why this is important. Create a short elevator pitch of a couple of sentences to quickly spread the message, along with a common set of talking points for everyone to draw from. Let each constituent speak in his own voice, but with consistent messaging. Listen as much as you speak, and keep your message positive!
You’ll find action steps and detailed information to help shape your advocacy efforts, including arts impact infographics, links to South Dakota voter registration, advocacy alerts, candidate arts surveys and much more at https:// artssouthdakota.org/arts-advocacy/.
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Wilson releases fifth poetry collection
The arts have been a vital resource for people during the pandemic, as well as an inspiration for new art. A great example of the power of poetry to restore and inspire is Norma C. Wilson’s newest book, Continuity. Conceived during the COVID-19 crisis, Continuity is Wilson’s fifth book of poetry, just released by Gyroscope Press of Gillette, Wyoming. Wilson began writing poems in the 1960s, continued writing sporadically during her 27-year career as an English professor at the University of South Dakota, and since her retirement has devoted all her writing to poetry. Continuity looks toward the past as a lesson for survival through respect and love for the Norma Wilson earth. Wilson connected with Gyroscope Review editor Constance Brewer during a poetry seminar at the Hill City Arts Council’s Writers Workshop in 2015. Continuity is Gyroscope Press’s first chapbook. “Many of my poems are inspired by all three of my favorite muses—place, memory and art,” Wilson said. “Several of the poems were inspired by music. I love collaborations! Our experience of the arts is enhanced when two or more of them come together.” USD Music Professor Emerita Susanne Skyrm’s photograph “Morning Light” graces the cover of Continuity, and two of the poems, “Standard Time for Poetry” and “Bashing the Blues,” were inspired by musical performances in Sioux Falls. Another poem, “Steel Drum Encore,” arose from a performance at the National Music Museum. Continuity is listed for sale on Amazon.com and is also featured on the Gyroscope Press Facebook site. Learn more about Wilson and her poetry at her website, https://sites.google.com/a/usd.edu/norma-c-wilson/.
www.ArtsSouthDakota.org
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