NAMM Brings the Arts and Music Education into the Spotlight as Political Parties Shape their Vision for the Future

Working with partners including Americans for the Arts, The Recording Academy (GRAMMY's), The United States Conference of Mayors and the local arts councils, NAMM created policy conversations and entertainment to keep arts top of mind during the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond, NAMM Chairman of the Board and President of Willis Music Kevin Cranley and NAMM Foundation Executive Director Mary Luehrsen were joined by NAMM friends and fellow music education advocates former New York Yankee and Latin Grammy Award-nominated artist Bernie Williams and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee during the conventions.

“NAMM represented the interests of the music products industry to an audience of thousands of elected officials from every level of government,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “In the moment that policy visions are laid out for the next four years, these events helped to ensure that education policies and funding programs include music and the arts as part of the core curriculum.”

ARTSspeak and ARTSjam panelists and partners at the RNC

The Republican National Convention's ARTSSpeak panel on August 28th at the Tampa Theatre featured Mike Huckabee, who led the afternoon's discussion. Panelists included Utah Governor Gary Herbert; Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch; Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, who is also Vice President of The United States Conference of Mayors; Bernie Williams and others. Williams is a passionate advocate for music education in schools, crediting his performing arts education as a major influence to later success in life. Immediately following ARTSSpeak, ARTSjam lit up Tampa with live music by featured artists including Williams, Amaury Gutiérrez, the 2011 Latin Grammy Award-winner for Best Singer-Songwriter Album and Grammy Award-winning musician and producer Dan Warner.

A week later, on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, ARTSSpeak put the spotlight on the role of the arts in policy at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC. NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond moderated the ARTSspeak panel that featured a wide-variety of influential policy makers including former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright; former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley; North Carolina Secretary of Cultural Resources Linda Carlisle; Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is also 2^nd Vice President of the U.S Conference of Mayors; Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Mint Museum of Art Jay Everette; James Rogers, chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy and co-chair of the 2012 DNC host committee; Lynch and Williams.

Bernie Williams and His All-Star Band at ARTSJam at the DNC

That evening, artists, students and policy makers danced the night away at the DNC ARTSJam at the McGlohen Theatre in Charlotte. Bernie Williams and his All-Star Band headlined the night's entertainment.

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About Americans for the Arts Action Fund
Americans for the Arts Action Fund is the nation's only grassroots advocacy organization committed to ensure that candidates for public office adopt thoughtful arts policies. Launched in 2004, it seeks to enlist and mobilize citizen activists who will help ensure that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at the Federal, state, and local levels, and public and private resources are maximized. Additional information is available at www.ArtsActionFund.org.