Founded by Phil Donovan in 1999, Northwest Public Affairs is highly regarded for their honesty, reliability, efficiency, and winning record. They have built strong relationships with Democrats, Republicans, the Governor’s office, agency directors, and their fellow lobbyists.

Ryan has known Phil since they were teenagers. In fact, Phil’s first political foray was managing Ryan’s campaign for student body president at Corvallis High School in 1989. (Yes, he won.)

Ryan spent 15 years in music, including leading an indie band in Austin, Texas, and more recently collaborating on dance projects with his wife, a modern dancer and founder of Pro Lab Dance. Now, Ryan is thrilled to bring that artistic passion to his work for CACO, advocating for increased arts funding and expanded policy support.

Ryan is recognized by legislators and clients alike for his dedication, collaborative approach, and skill in delivering value-driven communication. He actively seeks public opinion and academic research, engages with individuals directly affected by policy decisions, and unites diverse coalitions.

As we look toward a challenging budget cycle, Ryan is determined to ensure the arts have a strong voice in Oregon’s legislature. His primary goals include lobbying to increase grant funding for the Oregon Arts Commission and securing Cultural Resources Economic Funds for capital projects across the state.

Please join us in welcoming Ryan as he champions Oregon’s vibrant arts and culture community!

The post Championing the arts: Ryan Fisher joins us as our new advocate appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

So, you’re the the Coalition’s lobbyist. In layman’s terms, what do you really do?
I speak with legislators (and sometimes agency staff) to educate them on the issues of concern to my client. Sometimes that means explaining why a proposed bill, policy or appropriation is not a good idea. Sometimes I am asking them to support a bill or policy, or to fund a program. But it is all a matter of education. And I work hard to build trust among those I lobby by always being completely accurate and trustworthy. That is the most crucial attribute of an effective lobbyist.
Why do you lobby for arts and culture specifically?
I come from a musical-performing arts family, and my wife is a painter, sculptor, and printer. So it is really a natural fit for me.
Why do legislators and the public need lobbyists? Would you say lobbyists have been misunderstood?

If there weren’t any lobbyists to provide information, legislators would not have crucial information to make good decisions. Every conceivable interest group or entity has one or more lobbyists, and the information provided by them in total to a legislator ensures the best decision is made. As one experienced legislator taught me early in my career, his job was to take his own personal experience and knowledge, and combine it with what he got from lobbyists on both sides of an issue, and then use his judgment in arriving at the best decision.
I know some of the public think lobbyists just “wine and dine” legislators to gain favors and support for the lobbyist’s clients. And that may have been more true in the past, but now there is too much information available to legislators to make that a successful lobbying strategy.
What do members of the Coalition and advocates looking to getting involved in protecting arts and culture in Oregon need to know that they don’t know?

Working as part of a coalition like the Cultural Advocacy Coalition magnifies the message for legislators, and having many voices deliver the same message, from their own perspective, is incredibly effective. Politics is a social enterprise – in the truest sense of that term.  Working together really is the only way true political progress is made.

Paul Cosgrove has more than 30 years experience in government relations and business law. He has been named four times by Portland Magazine as one of the city’s best lawyers in government affairs. Paul received his J.D., from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark college and a B.A. with honors from Western Washington University.

The post Our Arts and Culture Watchdog appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.