ADVOCACY

Photo by Jim Dodson.

D. Jack Davis

A well-written advocacy plan captures the work done in the nine-step process detailed in my three previous articles. It will reflect and include actual material that was articulated and discovered during that process.

A good preface for the written advocacy plan is a case description that: (a) provides the context in which the advocacy or political action effort will take place; (b) identifies the individuals, organizations, or other entities involved; and (c) describes the social, political, and cultural climate for which the advocacy plan and associated tools are developed.

The written advocacy plan should state clearly the specific issues that were identified in step two of the planning process. Include data to support the issue, as well as data that distracts from the issue. Both should be written in straightforward and easy to read language. A good format to use is a talking-point paper—one that gets the point across in a short amount of time.

The written plan should include the main points that justify why change or support is needed in relation to the issue. Bullet points, as opposed to a narrative, are easier to follow.

It’s important to recognize that effective advocacy is complex and requires a variety of individuals to assume a variety of roles.

The audience needs to be narrowed and focused. Focus your efforts on the decision makers. Because advocacy resources are often limited, keep the targeted audience manageable in size. Carefully describe the audience and collect as much information as possible about them using the information acquired in the planning process.

Articulate the goals that were identified during the planning process. Each goal should be simply stated, understandable, and measurable. A good approach is to bullet them.

The activities that were identified during the planning process should also be included here. Make sure that each activity is correlated with a specific goal. A chart showing how the goals, activities, and tools are interconnected is a helpful device to use.

The timeline included in the advocacy plan should be a linear presentation of dates and activities. It should specify planning and preparation time for the activities and a description of each. Don’t forget to include follow-up activities and evaluation efforts.

Your budget should include all costs associated with the activities (real dollars as well as human resources). The budget needs to show what the sources of income will be and how it will be spent.

Identify a team member to manage the budget and ensure that all income, both actual and pledged, is on hand before expenditures are made. This person will also ensure that the best value is obtained for the money spent and be responsible for paying the bills and presenting budget reports to the team.

Before implementing your advocacy plan, establish a way to assess that each goal is met. Develop a set of criteria or a rubric for determining the effectiveness of your plan about each goal. Identify the person who will collect the needed data, analyze it, and present it to the advocacy team. Meaningful evaluation is critical to effective advocacy.

Implementing an advocacy action plan requires tools. The tool kit may include printed materials, slideshow presentations, TV spots, websites, use of social media, press packets, and videos.

In addition to the tools associated with specific objectives, it’s good to have a few generic items in your tool kit, including a press packet and a one-page statement or testimony that can be presented orally. Make sure that each tool is related to one or more specific objectives, and keep in mind that some objectives may need more than one tool.

Effective advocacy in art education should be focused on a specific issue, targeted to a specific audience, and planned to include a thorough understanding of the issues being advocated, the targeted audience, and the activities and tools needed to accomplish the goals. It’s important to recognize that effective advocacy is complex and requires a variety of individuals to assume a variety of roles: fans of the arts, cheerleaders for the arts, and people willing to spend the time and effort to “play the game” by planning and implementing advocacy efforts for art education. Rah, Rah, Rah for art education!

D. Jack Davis, Ph.D., is professor emeritus and founding dean of the College of Visual Arts & Design, University of North Texas. d.jack.davis@unt.edu