Dear President Obama and Vice President Biden,

We, the undersigned, are just a few of the more than 11 million artists living, working, and creating across the United States. Our work brings significant cultural and economic value to our society - and contributes $1.52 trillion to the nation's GDP. Yet that value is being disregarded as our rights and incentives to create are increasingly under threat.

Hear us as we speak with one voice about the importance of creators' rights.

We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division.

We serve as the foundation of our communities; you find us in schools, performance halls, libraries, museums, community centers, and movie houses. We enrich our culture with a wide range of creative expression, including music, film, software, video games, writing, photography, graphics, and other visual arts.

We contribute in some way to every single industry in the country. Many of us are self-employed. All of us work hard and pay taxes.

Yet, we are under assault. Our rights to control the distribution, use, and reproduction of our works in our vibrant digital age are dismissed by many who do not understand the value we bring to society. They tell us to work harder, create better, and give our works away. Some think that they should control our works and that they should be able to appropriate, perform, and copy them how they please, without our consent, benefit, or participation.

Our freedom as creators lies in the Constitutional rights we cherish, rights given to us to promote our culture. Without these rights, our ability to pursue our creative dreams and to meet the high expectations of those who benefit from our creative works is significantly diminished. As a result, all Americans will suffer.

Mr. President and Vice President, hear our call. We know you understand the value our creative contributions bring to our society and economy, and we know you can encourage our citizens to respect our rights. Please pursue policies supportive of the rights of artists and the encouragement of our creative efforts. Without the proper respect for our rights and works today, it will become even more difficult for us to create in the future.

Sincerely,

#NameCityStateArtist
6100Scott DevineSt LouisMOPhotographer
6101Eric HobbsPaducahKYPhotographer
6102JessicaPaducahKYPhotographer
6103JessicaPaducahKYPhotographer
6104Leldon CreelHolly PondALWedding Photographer
6105Jana EvansTempeAZCeramist
6106Angela SquicciariniToms RiverNJPhotographer/Artist/Designer
6107anthony silvaniscarsdalenyillustrator / art director
6108Eric LawsonLewesDEGraphic, Web, & Sign Design Professional
6109Jennifer WChesapeakeVAPhotographer
6110Jose AzelLovellMEPhotographer
6111Erol ReyalMilwaukeeWIPhotographer
6112Marty QataniHyde ParkNYCartoonist / Humorous Illustrator
6113Jennifer HenningsenHighlands RanchCOPhotographer
6114Pei-Chi LinNew YorkNYwriting, photography
6115DebraJacksonvilleflPhotographer
6116JamesLayneLAPhotographer
6117Shelly FieldsGilbertAZPhotographer
6118Molly GrosseCincinnatiOHphotographer
6119Harvey LloydNYNYPhotog/artist/writer
6120Melvin LevineBrooklynN.Y.Photographer
6121Irwin SterbakovNewtonMaProfessional Photographer
6122John DluzynskiPittsburghPAPhotographer
6123Peter HornFriscoTXPhotographer
6124Jeff SchultzAnchorageAKPhotographer
6125matthew wardatlantaGAPhotographer
6126John CookOrlandoFLPhotographer
6127Sydney RobinsonCummingGASinger/Song Writer
6128Bradley SampleLewisvilleTXPhotographer
6129Debbie Golden-SmithBessemerAlPhotographer
6130Dale L. PopovichHighlandINWatercolorist
6131Marilee Jacobi-PopovichHighlandINdigitalist
6132Kathy GodshallHighlandINpastel/watercolor
6133Dennis ZirniteBuffalo GroveILPortrait Photographer
6134Chris LiraCrow PointINwatercolor
6135Barbara KyneOaklandCAPhotographer
6136Christina McMasterGilbertAZPhotographer
6137Ann ParryMerrickNYPhotographer
6138Rae LeythamPensacolaFLphotographer
6139Wesley LeythamPensacolaFLPhotographer
6140Kristin TeigWalthamMAphotographer
6141Oscar BretanaFranklin ParkILPhotographer
6142Russ MeserollOceanportNJPhotographer
6143Kim MessmerSanta ClaraCAphotographer
6144Margaret BerrymanWhitingINpainter/wood worker
6145Tony RomoOklahoma CityoklahomaPhotographer
6146Nancy McGeeMilwaukeeWIPrintmaker/digital
6147James FalskenMesaAzphotographer/graphic artist
6148Gary ButhGranite BayCAProfessional Photographer
6149Gwendolyn DurantMansfieldtxProfessional Photographer
6150Ed DiazOxfordMAPhotographer
6151james wilsondallastxphotographer
6152Mary Fran LoftusNew YorkNYstock photography agent
6153Will RutledgeWest ChesterPAPhotographer
6154Linda FariaEdmontonCanadaPortrait Photographer
6155Lori HoganTopekaKSPhotographer
6156Ken MacAdamsFarmingtonNMPhotographer
6157MichelleBostonMAStudent
6158David Logan MorrowSan FranciscoCAArtist
6159David M. RickardMesaAZPhotographer
6160levi rosenhoustontxartist/jeweler
6161Dan CooganPhoenixAZPhotographer
6162Teresa DeMarcosTampaFLPhotographer
6163Ray AllenNashvilleTNPhotographer
6164Liza DeyNew YorkNYPhotographer
6165Gene EckhartUniversity PlaceWAPhotographer and Writer
6166Jason J. BonelloRedfordMIPhotographer
6167Sara TrueCovingtonKYPhotographer/Student
6168Rick DavisBrightonCOPhotographer
6169Brian VasalloCulver CityCAMusician
6170David ScottBonney LakeWAPhotographer
6171Roger RessmeyerMercer IslandWAPhotographer
6172Ryan RessmeyerMercer IslandWAPhotographer
6173Rosemary HawkinsNew YorkNYphotographer
6174bluejay hankinstonasketwarecord producer
6175William LeGoullonPhoenixAZFine Art Photographer
6176Stuart CoxLondonUKPhotographer
6177Dave KraftGranvilleOhscreenwriter
6178Amanda GerberPortlandORMusician
6179Elbie LebrechtLondonUKArchivie and Photo library
6180Shannon HileFolsomCaSinger,Song writer
6181Debbie BruceAikenSCjewelry
6182Glenn HayesPalm HarborFLPhotographer
6183David ScharfLos AngelesCAPhotographer
6184Neil MooreMariettaGaPhotographer
6185Robert FolzHollisNHStock photography agency owner
6186Cindy Mitchell, CPPUnion GroveAlProfessional Photographer
6187Richard PasleyConcordMAPhotographer
6188Toby SegerPittsburghPAPhotographer
6189Bill FransonByfieldMAPhotographer
6190Mark AlberhaskyAtlantaGAphotographer
6191Christopher FerroneChathamNYphotography
6192Eric AndersonFront RoyalVAPhotographer
6193Gary W. CarterMcLeansvilleNCPhotographer
6194Jason HahnLand O LakesFLPhotographer
6195Robert SmithGreensboroNCPhotographer
6196Shannon FontaineNashvilleTNPhotographer
6197Ruggero VanniNew YorkNYPainter/Photographer
6198Chris LearyNew YorkNYPhotographer
6199William James WarrenCarlsbadCAPhotographer