Student advisory board promotes Arts Advocacy Day

Skyler Dykes (left) and Emmalee Allen welcome participants to the Arts Advocacy Day at Sheldon on March 13. Photo by Michael Reinmiller.
Skyler Dykes (left) and Emmalee Allen welcome participants to the Arts Advocacy Day at Sheldon on March 13. Photo by Michael Reinmiller.

The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Undergraduate Student Advisory Board joined Nebraskans for the Arts in organizing an Arts Advocacy Day on March 13 at Sheldon Museum of Art.

Participants received "Arts Advocacy Toolkits" and were encouraged to write letters to their representatives about supporting the arts. Performances and presentations also took place throughout the day.

“I had heard about the arts advocacy rallies that happened last year, so I thought this would be a really neat opportunity to showcase artwork of student artists and celebrate that, but then also add some meaning to it and be able to advocate for the arts while we were doing it,” said Skyler Dykes, a music and French major, who serves as president of this year’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Board.

The day featured performances by UNL Dance, Flat Water Trio, Theatrix, Lazzi Improv, UNL Chamber Singers and Bathtub Dolls, as well as a presentation and showcase of student films by Cinema 16.

“I’m just really hoping that students realize how important it is to advocate for the arts,” Dykes said. “Everyone here, especially in the Hixson-Lied, we’re wanting to make a career in the arts, and we won’t be able to if we don’t continue to fight for public funding of the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. And I’m hoping that people are using this as a way to communicate with different artists who they haven’t communicated with before and maybe inspire them to go and watch a theatre performance or visit an art gallery.”

Last month, members of the Undergraduate Student Advisory Board attended the Nebraska State Arts Advocacy Day on Feb. 13.

“We went to the Capitol building and spoke with senators, and then we went to the Governor’s residence and listened to different presentations on how to better advocate for the arts,” Dykes said. “That was a great starting point for us. They talked a lot about how if artists only come and advocate on this one day, it’s really not going to make that much of an impact. So as a board, if we can continue to be that student voice through Nebraskans for the Arts throughout the year, I’d love to see that collaboration continue.”

Dykes said their Arts Advocacy Day in March was successful.

“It’s been a really fun day, and it’s really been great to see everyone come out and support the arts,” she said.