Advocacy does not end or begin with an election. With November’s elections behind us: now what?

Join civic strategist Caitie Whelan for an energetic, practical introduction to building relationships with elected officials and making asks that are clear, strategic, and more likely to be taken seriously.

A former Congressional staffer and current Practitioner-in-Residence at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Caitie will demystify how advocacy works and share approachable tools for understanding who holds influence, building relationships before you need them, and communicating effectively with decision makers.

Whether you’re an experienced advocate or wondering where to begin, you’ll find practical ways to participate, and plenty of room to ask questions.

Caitie will lead the first 60 minutes of the session. We’ll then move into facilitated small-group conversations for deeper discussion about how to apply the workshop’s strategies.

You’ll leave with:

Practical strategies for building relationships with elected officials
Tools for developing effective advocacy asks
An introduction to power mapping and identifying decision makers
A strategy chart you can adapt to your own advocacy goals
Resources for continuing to build your advocacy skills

Bring your questions, curiosity, and the issues you care about. You don’t need to be an advocacy expert to have a role in shaping what’s next.

Who is this for?This free virtual workshop is open to artists, arts and cultural leaders, creative entrepreneurs, educators, community organizers, nonprofit leaders and board members, and others interested in becoming more effective advocates for the people, organizations, and communities they care about.

Individuals and representatives of nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored organizations, federally recognized tribes, museums, galleries, and other cultural organizations are welcome to participate from across the region and nationally.