Throughout the year keep in contact with your elected officials and candidates for office. Let them know that the arts have strong support in your area and throughout Tennessee. Here are some suggestions:

- Attend or sponsor candidate forums and ask your candidates their views on the arts. Use this time to tell them that you support the arts and increased funding for the arts.

- Put your legislators on your mailing list so that they get information about all of your projects.

- Always credit in printed material and verbally the Tennessee Arts Commission and other agencies that provide funding and assistance to your organization.

- Inform your constituents about arts funding and issues in the state so that they understand the importance of supporting and crediting agencies such as the Tennessee Arts Commission.

- Send your legislators letters telling them about grants that you have received from the Tennessee Arts Commission and other agencies and thanking them for their support of these agencies.

- Attend Arts Advocacy Day and make visiting your legislator part of your day.

- Invite your legislators to be your guests at special events or performances. Introduce them at the function and thank them for their support of art-friendly legislation. Take photos of the legislators with board members and other arts advocates and send one to each legislator and run one in your newsletter.

- At the end of each legislative session, send your legislators thank-you letters for their support.

- Appoint an employee, board member or volunteer to be the point person for advocacy efforts and rely on that person to make continuous efforts to build relationships year-round.

Be prepared to move quickly if it becomes necessary to communicate with your legislators and decision makers on crucial legislation or funding for the arts. Here are some suggestions:

- Create a phone or email tree that will allow you to communicate with your constituents quickly asking for their quick action.

- Train your constituents in advocacy work, so that they are comfortable communicating with their legislators when necessary. Teach them about funding for the arts so that they are well-versed when the time comes.

- Know the phone, address and email of your elected officials and use one or several methods of communication.

- Pinpoint the board members or constituents that have the closest relationship to your legislators and ask them to make contact on important issues.

- Be polite in your messages to legislators, even if the issue is a hot-button one.

- Always thank your legislators for their support of arts issues and funding. Let them know that you are aware of their votes.

- Politely express your disappointment to legislators that did not vote in the favor of the arts and ask for them to reconsider the issue in upcoming votes.

Tips for Effective Communication With Your Legislators

General Tips

- Know who your state senator and state representative are and how to contact them. If you don't know who represents you, you can find out by using the Find Your Lawmaker button on the TFTA website under “Advocacy”.  You can also contact your county's Administrator of Elections.

- The General Assembly's web site http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ will give you the mailing addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of Tennessee's legislative members.

- Make sure you understand the legislative process. Even the most basic understanding of the process will help you effectively express your ideas.

- Contact your senator and/or representative about a particular issue before the Legislature takes action on it. Most matters coming before the Legislature are well publicized before and during session. Calendars for committee and floor action are posted on the General Assembly's web site and updated frequently.

- You can use a variety of communication methods. You might choose to telephone,
write, e-mail, fax, or visit your legislators.

- Tell your senator and/or representative what effect you think a particular bill, if it becomes law, will have on you, your children, business, or community. Be concise, but specific.

- Be polite, even if you disagree strongly with the legislator you are addressing.
Lawmakers cannot please everyone. Your communication will be more effective if
you are reasonable in your approach.

- Suggest a course of action and offer assistance. Don't make promises or threats.

Writing Effective Letters

- Be absolutely certain you spell your legislator's name correctly and use the correct
address. If you don't, you could lose your audience.

- Type or print legibly. Sign your name neatly and give your address correctly so your
Senator or representative can respond to your letter.

- Keep letters, e-mail, and faxes brief. Never write more than one page. Concise written correspondence is more likely to grab and keep the reader's attention.

- Identify your issue or opinion at the beginning of the letter, don't bury your main
point under trivial text.

- Cover only one issue per letter. If you have another issue to address, write another
letter.

- Back up your opinions with supporting facts. Your letter should inform the reader.

- Avoid abbreviations or acronyms, and don't use technical jargon. Rather than
impressing your reader, such terms will only frustrate him or her.

- Don't send the same letter to more than one legislator. Personalized letters have more impact.

Calling or Visiting Your Legislators

- Plan your call or visit carefully. Keep to the point and discuss only one issue.
Organize your thoughts ahead of time and make notes to help you stay on track.