We must reimagine what Arts Advocacy really means. It goes beyond the public school programs that have budget cuts and department cuts. The societal contribution of the arts to our culture can't be understated. Arts Advocacy needs a community of supporters readily available to champion theatre and art and music departments when they are at risk of being shut down. When it comes to establishing budgets, the arts need to be prioritized, especially given how often their contribution to student life has been swept under the rug in the past. Amidst this pandemic, Live Arts have almost entirely shut down. Comedy venues that have survived for years have gone bankrupt. Broadway, once a nearly overactive hub of culture, is shut down entirely. Arts advocacy has truly never mattered more. As we spent months on end in our houses, afraid to go outside, we turned to art. We turned to Netflix and novels and poetry books that have sat on our shelves. In our time of greatest fear and stress, we turned to artists. Those same artists we turned our television or pages to, have been sitting in fear for their career for the past eight months unsure of when their next job will be. If we are to reform the Arts and perpetuate their existence, it will require us to come together and Advocate for their merit, not just in spite of but because of challenging circumstances.
Abby Seeber is a Senior Undergraduate Student at Valparaiso University with a Double Major in Creative Writing and Theatre. On Campus, she has served as Lead Orientation Assistant, an Ambassador in Admissions, a member of the student visit team and the writing intern for the IMC office. In her free time, she is the producer of VUDU Comedy, the pledge educator for Alpha Psi Omega, and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority. After graduation, Abby will head to Chicago for the Second City Comedy Studies Program to hone her skills in comedic writing and performance. Abby’s research centers on promoting performing arts to the national agenda to ensure arts education and accessibility nationwide. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx