Statement from Tino Gagliardi, President, Local 802 AFM regarding President Trump’s proposed elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts

March 16, 2017 – New York, NY – “The National Endowment for the Arts is critical to the cultural life and cultural economy of our city and our nation, and the work that it supports has touched the lives of musicians, performers, children, families and communities throughout the city and country. Its elimination is an affront to our national character and is simply unacceptable.

Though it only represents 0.0037 percent of the Federal budget, the NEA has had an outsized impact on our creative ecosystem, supporting arts education programs and performance organizations like the Apollo Theater and the New York City Ballet, as well as individual musicians like the NEA Jazz Masters. These organizations and individuals are cornerstones of healthy communities, driving local economies while also celebrating our diversity and encouraging inclusion and creative expression. all Local 802 musicians and all who care about the arts join us in demanding that Congress reject any budget plan that eliminates the National Endowment for the Arts.”

About The Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM

The Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 American Federation of Musicians represents over 7,500 highly-skilled musicians who are the backbone of the New York City’s thriving cultural and tourism economy, which brings over 58 million visitors each year. Their members—who perform on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and Radio City; on Late Night shows and in other televised bands, as well as in hotels, clubs, festivals and venues across NYC—are protected by collectively bargained agreements ensuring proper classification, fair treatment and living wage.

The musicians of the Associated Musicians of Greater New York Local 802 work to promote artistic excellence and strengthen New York City’s vibrant arts community by advocating for fair treatment and compensation of hardworking musicians and performers. Their priorities include the preservation and creation of opportunities for live musical performance, promoting recording and film scoring in NYC, increasing our children’s access to live music and high-quality music education, advancing the vital role music plays in our communities, and ensuring that the musicians essential to New York City’s economy and cultural life are able to continue to live and work here.

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