Contact Your Reps to Support the
Creative Workforce Investment Act (CWIA)

 

Join Dance/NYC, Dance/USA and 56 arts and culture organizations nationwide in supporting the Creative Workforce Investment Act (CWIA), a bi-partisan bill that would establish a competitive grants program through the Department of Labor to carry out arts and creative workforce programs.

On January 10, House Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA) introduced the CWIA, H.R. 6935. The legislation—formerly proposed in 2021 as the Creative Economy Revitalization Act (CERA)—aims to facilitate the integration of creative professionals into the workforce by amending the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced the companion bill, S. 3572, in the Senate.

What this means:

The legislation would authorize $300 million in federal dollars for fiscal years 2024 through 2026 to support the grants program. Grantees would be required to employ individuals in the local area and create publicly accessible art or arts programming, such as free concert series, large-scale murals, photography exhibits, published stories, or dance performances.

What you can do:

Now is the time to reach out to your representatives in Congress to let them know that you support the Creative Workforce Investment Act. Let your U.S. Representatives and Senators know that you want them to co-sponsor and pass this legislation this year.

contact your representatives

• Review the summary of the CWIA
• Check out the full list of arts & culture orgs endorsing the CWIA