I have been to one too many presentations of studies that set out to prove what we all now: the arts account for a significant amount of jobs and economic activity in our metropolitan areas. The arts are an industry. Why then is there not a national organization to advance the needs of its artist members?

Lawyers have the American Bar Association. Doctors have the American Medical Association. They are "trade" associations, i.e., they represent individuals in a common professional field and making the most of their strength in numbers.

What could a national trade association do for the visual and performing arts? Lobby at the federal, state and local level for one. Funding for the arts has significantly declined, but what if the arts had a cohesive national presence fighting against these cuts? That's one thing that trade associations do: protect the professional interests of it members from legislative or regulatory changes that would impact them negatively. For many industries, this is reason enough to join their association.

But most association go further. They publish magazines on industry news and business issues. They create forums for their members to come together and develop industry-wide standards of ethics. They provide continuing professional education in the classroom and online. They have member discount programs. And they run public affairs campaigns to raise the image of the industry.

Are there good organizations doing work in these areas? Yes. But they are fragmented across the local atate level, on the whole. We do need these organizations. I am not contesting the good work being done. Existing organizations will be an important stakeholder in a national association for the arts.

But why not go national? With challenges facing the arts, why not now? Very few (I can't think of another) industries with the population and economic impact of the arts are unrepresented by a strong national association. And Chicago, home to so many large and respected national associations, has the talent and volunteer base to found a national arts association with the proper structure here and now.

Are you a visual or performing artist who:

-Wants to see the arts have a strong lobbying presence (instead of weaker funding)?
-Would like there to be national standards of ethics and a local organization where you can have a complaint heard?
-Are looking for the business education that many arts schools fail to provide?
-Want to get discounts on professional equipment?
-Have a central place to go to discover all of the local and state organizations that can help you?

What's the argument against this idea?