More Arts Groups Sign On to Oppose SOPA/PIPA

Last week I told you why Fractured Atlas is opposing SOPA and PIPA, a pair of bills in Congress that claim to protect the rights of artists but would be both ineffective at that goal and damaging to the technical fabric of the internet. We were the first major arts organization to take this stand, and we took some heat for it, but I believe we also moved the needle on our community’s understanding of these complicated issues.

Today I’m happy to report that a number of our colleagues at major national arts service organizations have joined the cause. This morning a second letter was sent to Senate leadership, co-signed by The Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Chorus America, Dance/USA, Fractured Atlas, National Alliance for Media Art and Culture, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, National Performance Network, OPERA America, and Theatre Communications Group. This formidable coalition represents tens of thousands of American artists and arts organizations. We’ve come together on this issue to say not in our name. We believe in copyright. We oppose piracy of intellectual property. But SOPA and PIPA are the wrong way to address this problem.

Once again, if you’d like to weigh in yourself, you can use this tool provided by Daily Kos, or talk to your Senators while they’re on the January recess.