Luján, Padilla, Leger Fernández Introduce Legislation to Bolster the Creative Workforce

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) introduced the Creative Workforce Investment Act to empower the creative workforce through the creation of workforce grants program and expand access to the arts in communities nationwide.

“New Mexico is known for our vibrant arts culture, which has shaped and defined New Mexico for generations. New Mexican artists enrich our communities, preserve our traditions, and boost local economies,” said Senator Luján.“I’m proud to introduce the Creative Workforce Investment Act to establish a workforce grant program that both supports local New Mexican artists and creates public art for communities across New Mexico to enjoy. This legislation provides vital support and opportunities for New Mexico creatives to continue their contributions to our state.”

“In New Mexico, we know that our creative economy — the people who make the beautiful art we get to enjoy — have the power to move us all while creating good-paying jobs and growing our economy,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “We often overlook this economic engine and don’t invest publicly in this important industry the same way we do in agriculture or manufacturing. This bill would change that, it will create a new, competitive grant program so every community in America has the chance to capitalize on the transformative power of art, so artists have the backing they need to create innovative public art, and so our creative economy can continue to grow and thrive.”

The Creative Workforce Investment Act would: 

• Establish a grants program to support arts and creative workforce initiatives that create publicly accessible art while employing individuals in the local community.
• Specifies a range of programs eligible for funding, including concerts, storytelling initiatives, murals, films, theatrical productions, and support for arts in educational and community spaces, among others.
• Mandates annual reporting to Congress on grant outcomes, employment duration, earnings, and employment status of individuals involved in the programs.
• Authorizes $300 million in appropriations for fiscal years 2024 through 2026 to support the program.

This legislation is endorsed by 56 organizations across the country, including Actors’ Equity Association, Americans for the Arts, Authors Guild, Californians for the Arts, Creative New Mexico, Department for Professional Employees – AFL-CIO, Etsy, Inc., gallupARTS, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Santa Fe’s Arts and Culture Department, the National Guild for Community Arts Education, and New Mexico Arts. 

“I enthusiastically endorse Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez and Senator Ben Ray Luján’s Creative Workforce Investment Act (CWIA), a groundbreaking initiative poised to invigorate our nation’s creative economy,” said Dr. Shelle Sanchez, Director of the Department of Arts and Culture of the City of Albuquerque. “This visionary legislation underscores the vital role of the arts in fostering economic growth and community prosperity. By supporting the CWIA, we endorse a holistic approach to community well-being, recognizing that a vibrant creative economy is integral to a healthy and resilient society.”

“In McKinley County, NM, where 1 in 5 residents work in the arts, we know first-hand the transformative power of strategic public investment in the creative sector,” said Rose Eason, Executive Director, gallupARTS and Board Member of Creative New Mexico. “Artists and creative workers significantly strengthen our nation–especially small and rural communities like ours–in so many ways, from weaving cultural ties to earning family livings, yet they are largely under-employed. The Creative Workforce Investment Act will fully leverage the talent and entrepreneurship of the country’s creative workforce to promote economic and community development at all levels.”

“The National Guild for Community Arts Education is grateful that Congresswoman Leger Fernandez and Senator Ben Ray Luján are introducing the Creative Workforce Investment Act,” said Quanice G. Floyd, Executive Director of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. “This legislation provides necessary funding to arts and creative workforce programs to ensure that the arts and arts education is accessible to everyone. We are particularly proud of the Congresswoman and Senator’s support of community arts education by acknowledging the need for holistic experiences of arts education learning through in and out-of-school programming in the legislation. This bill reinforces the importance of arts and arts education and provides a pathway to such a critical investment in the country. We are thankful for the Congresswoman and Senator’s support of the arts and arts education in this bill.”

“Americans for the Arts endorses the Creative Workforce Investment Act that will create significant investments in the creative economy,” said Nolen Bivens, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts.  “The arts are a national asset, and our country thrives because artists and creative workers are a part of the collective workforce helping to transcend our society culturally, socially, and educationally. All of this, in turn, supports jobs and economic prosperity, as found in our recent Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 Study. Supporting private-public partnerships that create art that is publicly accessible for all of us to experience creates a sense of community that brings us closer together.”

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