First Annual “Congressional Record” Highlights Importance of Arts Education, Showcases Musical Talents of Members of Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Kennedy Center, Roll Call, the Library of Congress, Americans for the Arts, VIVA Creative and the Recording Academy—the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards—in collaboration with the Congressional Musicians Caucus and Congressional Arts Caucus tonight hosted Congressional Record 2024, a special event highlighting the unifying power of the arts and the positive impact that access to arts education has on communities across the nation.
“Working on this event was an immense privilege,” said organizers Kevin Canafax and Geoff Browning. “Arts education is a perfect platform to support creative collaboration in Congress.”
The first annual Congressional Record was a memorable, bipartisan evening at the Capitol Visitor Center with speakers highlighting the importance of the arts and showcasing the musical talents of bipartisan Members of Congress.
Members of Congress who spoke or performed included Senator Mark Warner (VA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Congressman Darren Soto (FL-9), Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-3), Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-5), Congressman Jake Laturner (KS-2), Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-2), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-2), Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-5), Congressman Sean Casten (IL-6), Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-3), and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
The Members of Congress were joined by award winning musician Natalie Cressman, members of the Kennedy Center orchestra, Cranston Dean, and Wiley Brown, son of Chuck Brown, who provided lead vocals on his father’s hit song “Bustin’ Loose.” Lighting design was provided by Ben Factor from the progressive rock band Umphrey’s McGee.
Additionally, the event featured videos highlighting support for the arts from singer-songwriter and New York Times bestselling author Ben Folds, Grammy Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Dionne Warwick, and Grammy Award winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Bipartisan Members of Congress, including leaders from the Congressional Musicians Caucus and the Congressional Arts Caucus, voiced their enthusiasm for the event, noting the importance of arts education in bridging divides and fostering collaboration:
“Art brings Americans together across partisan, racial, ethnic, and religious identities, and it forms a key part of our American story and culture,” said Senator Warner. “It’s great to spend an evening in celebration of that unifying power and the tremendous importance of arts education. I’m glad to be a part of the Congressional Record Celebration, and I only wish I had Sen. Kaine’s harmonica talents so I could contribute in a more melodic way!”
“Music is a universal language that unites, comforts, and inspires us,” said Representative Doggett, Co-Chair of the Congressional Musicians’ Caucus and representative for the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ in Austin, Texas. “I’m pleased to work alongside passionate advocates to ensure communities nationwide can access robust arts education programs that foster creativity and inclusion.”
“As the representative of Music City USA and co-chair of the Musicians’ Caucus, I am proud to co-host Congressional Record with Rep. Lloyd Doggett,” said Representative Mark Green (TN-7), Co-Chair of the Congressional Musicians’ Caucus. “This is a night for lawmakers and the music industry to come together to celebrate the incredible impact of the arts and art education. At a time when tensions are running high throughout the country, I am grateful that we have something to bring us together—music.”
“The arts are incredibly important to our communities—driving economic development, creating quality jobs, and fostering creative expression,” said Representatives Pingree and Mike Turner (OH-10), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus. “As Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus, we were thrilled to be able to celebrate the power of the arts to bring us together.”
The event was made possible through the collaboration of esteemed artistic and Capitol Hill institutions, including VIVA Creative, Fidelity Investments, Service Now, Americans for the Arts, The Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, the Recording Academy, Roll Call, Diageo, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
"The impact of bringing Congress together in this musical event, which highlights the extraordinary talents of bipartisan members, is significant,” said Emily Greene, co-founder of VIVA Creative, Congressional Records' creative and production partner. “VIVA is honored to contribute to this remarkable demonstration of unity."
“The Kennedy Center, which has a Congressional mandate as the National Cultural Center to be a leader in arts education across the country, is honored to support this bipartisan program,” said Deborah F. Rutter, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. “We were proud to support this powerful and unifying event focused on the uplifting power of the arts.”
“The Recording Academy is thrilled to support this bipartisan initiative, as access to the arts and music education is central to our mission,” said Todd Dupler, Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards. “Nights like this create memorable moments that remind us of the power music has to bring communities together.”
“IPSOS Public Affairs reports near universal support for arts education, with 92% of Americans across all political parties believing that arts education is an important part of any K-12 education,” said Jamie Bennett and Suzy Delvalle, interim co-CEOs of Americans for the Arts. “What other issue can unite members of Congress in this way? We loved celebrating that fact at this exciting, bipartisan event on Capitol Hill.”
"Roll Call has always strived to report not just the politics of Capitol Hill, but also the breadth of its diverse community,” said Jason Dick, Editor in Chief of Roll Call. “Members of Congress bring themselves and the people and places they represent together when they perform music, and we're thrilled to be a part of putting on this event."
"The U.S. Chamber is proud to support the first-annual bipartisan Congressional Record in highlighting the power of the arts and arts education in America,” said Brad Watts, Vice President, Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC), U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “We were thrilled to celebrate the spirit and culture of the American music industry and all the ways it impacts lives across the country each and every day,"
About the Congressional Musicians Caucus and the Congressional Arts Caucus
The Congressional Musicians Caucus supports music in the lives of its members and serves as a forum for Members of Congress to focus on the positive impact of music on the daily lives of Americans and on music’s place in social policy. The caucus is led by Representative Doggett and Representative Green.
The Congressional Arts Caucus is a bipartisan organization for Members of Congress who support the arts through federal initiatives. For more than 30 years, the Congressional Arts Caucus has organized Members of the House of Representatives in support of federal arts initiatives. The caucus has more than 110 bipartisan members and is led by Representative Pingree and Representative Turner.
Media Contact
To request interviews or b-roll footage from the event, contact press@congressionalrecord.net.
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