Advocacy
Ongoing: TCG Joins ACLU Challenge to NEA
TCG has joined an ACLU-led lawsuit challenging the National Endowment for the Arts grant restrictions that require applicants to attest they will not “promote" what is being referred to as "gender ideology.” This lawsuit, filed alongside Rhode Island Latino Arts, National Queer Theater, and The Theater Offensive, argues this restriction violates the First and Fifth Amendments and unconstitutionally limits artistic expression.
The Lobby Project: Theatre Advocacy Week 2025
Join us for The Lobby Project: Theatre Advocacy Week 2025, a week-long series of events designed to mobilize theatre artists, administrators, and advocates in collective action. Taking place March 24-31, 2025, this week of events highlight the power of advocacy in shaping policies that support a thriving and just theatre ecology.
Register Now
New Resource: The Lobby Project Guide
TCG is excited to invite you to participate in The Lobby Project, a nationwide initiative aimed at fostering civic engagement by opening theater lobbies for dialogue and non-partisan public events surrounding election day and beyond. If you’re feeling pre-election jitters, know that you are not alone! We are inviting you to take part in this project and use our lobbies to create a welcoming space for meaningful civic dialogue.
Access The Lobby Project
Sign Up for Action Alerts and Advocacy Updates
Receive Action Alerts and Advocacy Updates from TCG in order to take immediate action on issues that affect the theatre field and stay up-to-date on the latest news. Action Alert emails include brief descriptions of issues and a link to a sample message that you can personalize. Our VoterVoice-powered system then sends your message directly to your elected officials. It takes less than two minutes to take action and make a difference!
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About TCG's Advocacy Work
TCG's Commitment to Arts Advocacy
Theatre Communications Group is the primary advocate for the not-for-profit professional theatre in the United States. TCG represents the theatre field both in Washington, DC, and nationally, to provide timely information for theatres and theatre artists on federal legislation, regulations and other significant government opportunities and issues.
Read TCG 501c3, Nonpartisanship, and Bipartisanship Policy.
TCG is a Founding Member of the Performing Arts Alliance
TCG is a member of the Performing Arts Alliance, the Coalition of Performing Arts Advocates. The Alliance is a coalition of national performing arts service organizations dedicated to advocating for national policies that recognize, enhance, and foster the contributions the performing arts make to America. Other founding members include the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, Dance/USA, the League of American Orchestras, and OPERA America. Members include American Composers Forum, Chorus America, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, New Music America, and Chamber Music America. Together we advocate effectively on issues that specifically affect the performing arts and approach all our efforts through a performing arts lens. We encourage everyone to visit the Performing Arts Alliance website and to join our advocacy network in order to receive Action Alerts that will inform you as to when and how to make your voice heard!
TCG is Involved in Key Arts Advocacy Issues
Our ongoing commitment to
Legislative Issues includes:
- Increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- Increased funding for Arts Education at the US Department of Education
- More timely processing of visas for foreign artists through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly INS)
- Enhancing tax incentives for charitable giving through Tax Policy.
- The protection of wireless microphone technology: FCC/White Space
- Other legislative issues
Explore Legislative Issues
TCG Advocates for the American Theatre by Providing Its Member Theatres
- Membership in the Performing Arts Alliance and monthly Advocacy Reports, describing recent government developments
- Electronic arts-related Action Alerts prompting immediate action
- Policy updates printed in the Advocacy Pages of the TCG website
- Tools and resources for advocacy including TCG's Grassroots Kit, "Political Advocacy for Your Theatre"
- In addition, TCG provides:
—Written testimony
—Witnesses for hearings
—Close working relationships with other arts advocacy organizations and coalitions, such as Americans for the Arts, the Cultural Advocacy Group, and other groups dedicated to government support of the arts.
For more information about TCG's advocacy activities, please contact [email protected].