The arts need to be marketed to the public sector as well as to individual patrons. When economic times are good, the arts are funded because it is “the right thing to do.” But when economic times are tough, the arts are often the first to be cut from federal, state, and local budgets. To protect organizations from budget cuts, preparing an effective arts advocacy program before times get tough is crucial. In this session, organizations will learn about effective arts advocacy organizations and programs, how to quickly and accurately communicate with elected officials, and how to protect the arts from budget cuts.