Political Advocacy: The Literary Network

CLMP believes that the federal government has a responsibility to support a range of artistic activities that reflect the many, diverse communities in our country-as it does currently through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). As such, CLMP is one of a small but dedicated group of arts organizations that work to support and promote the work of the NEA, and--when necessary--to combat attacks against federal funding for the arts.

CLMP is one of 13 literary organizations that supports literature's presence in the public arena through the Literary Network (LitNet). LitNet is an advocacy coalition that informs and mobilizes the literary community around issues pertaining to public cultural policy and which maintains a presence in Washington DC to keep cultural issues in the minds of legislators.

LitNet was founded jointly by CLMP and Poets & Writers in 1992 as an extension of the Coalition of Writers Organizations (now defunct) and in response to the freedom of expression controversies surrounding the NEA. LitNet has supported a strong National Endowment with no content restrictions through the culture battles of the early and mid 1990s. Perhaps, LitNet's greatest victory has been saving fellowships for writers--currently the only individual grants that the NEA is empowered by Congress to make--from the attacks against the NEA in 1995.

While LitNet's primary purpose is to advocate for literature's interests within public funding, it also provides support to issues that greatly affect individual writers and literary organizations, such as intellectual property rights, tax laws and freedom of expression.

As a project, LitNet is supported by the sponsoring organizations listed below, key funders and individuals who value literature's contributions to a healthy and dynamic national identity.

Current sponsoring organizations

Academy of American Poets
Arte Publico Press
Associated Writing Programs
Coffee House Press
Council of Literary Magazines and Presses
Curbstone Press
Dalkey Archive Press
The Loft Literary Center
PEN American Center
Poets & Writers
Poets House
Small Press Distribution

More about political advocacy for the arts

American Arts Alliance Home Page
Americans for the Arts: 1999 Arts Advocacy Day
APAP's site
Election Year Action Kit

To make a donation to LitNet, make your check to Poets & Writers, Inc. and specify that is for The Literary Network. Send your check to Poets & Writers, 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012.