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
9300Nick PucciBrooklynNYgraphic
9301BJ DiamondWest HartfordCTMusic
9302bethany barrlake st. louismoactress/singer
9303Marshall H. CohenCohenD.C.Photojournalist
9304Margaret BrettschneiderColorado SpringsCONovelist
9305William E. (Billy) StrangeFranklinTNComposer/Songwriter
9306Marvin GohmanBurnsvilleMNsongwriter
9307Jane SterrettHobokenNJVisual aptestArtist
9308Jane SterrettHobokenNjVisual artist
9309Bruce YoungLexingtonVAPhotographer
9310Heather LeeEncinoCAActress
9311Gina LentoPatchogueNYFine Artist/Pastelist
9312Karen GlennValley VillageCAlyricist/musical composer
9313Bob BlountHuntington beachCAP
9314Gerald BernsLos AngelesCAscreenwriter/actor
9315Lindsay StrawBostonMAmusician
9316Birgit StaudtBroooklynNYComposer
9317Magdalena ContrerasApopkaFLGraphic Designer
9318Javier ZapataApopkaFL3D Animator & Graphic Designer
9319Forrest HallTemple HillsMDSongwriter/Producer
9320George Dalton Tolbert IVTakoma ParkMdPhotographer
9321Mark TrickeyIndian TrailNCPhotographer
9322Margeaux BestardLos AngelesCAPhotographer
9323Kay DiehlPasadenaCAwriter
9324Crystal McDowellAntiochTnPhotographer
9325MarkPanklerCamusician
9326Donna DavisBerkeleyCAactor
9327Elizabeth DimonLake WorthFLActor
9328Elizabeth DimonLake WorthFLActor
9329Michael G. SeamansFort CollinsCOfreelance photojournalist
9330Aaron ThomasMemphisTNInstrumentalist / writer
9331PAT D'AVERSAOAKDALENYPHOTOGRAPHER
9332Barry PribulaNew YorkNYPhotographer
9333Walter Mitchell McGuirenew yorkNYactor/writer
9334Debra Port LucchiLeonardMIActress
9335Adrienne LarsenFountain HillsArizonaPhotographer
9336Joan JaffeNew YorkNYPerformer
9337bryantt millernashvilletnsongwriter
9338bryantt millernashvilletnsinger/songwriter
9339ALTON GARDNERRaleighNCHIPHOP
9340Eric HallBurbankCAMusician
9341Mark J. SmithOrelandPAPhotographer
9342Russell ScheidlerSt PaulMNSinger/Songwriter
9343Susan KelleyFairmontWVWriter
9344Diane MerrillColorado SpringsCOmusician
9345Connie RichmondSherman OaksCAactress
9346Nancy PedenMontereyCAwriter; web developer; program designer
9347bruce AIDELLSkensingtoncAwriter
9348Carol SteinbergNew YorkNYphotographer and arts lawyer
9349John TemplinBluffton)HDigital Prints
9350Salpie ProodianNorth HollywoodCARetoucher
9351Henry WaltonLos AngelesCAAuthor - Photographer
9352Liz QuelerNew YorkNYsongwriter
9353Bruce WheelerPoolerGAMusician
9354Peter LawsonNew York CityNYProducer/Composer
9355Robert ThienAtlantaGAPhotographer
9356Richard G. WhalenPatchogueNYGraphic Designer/Illustrator
9357Ghaaziy MachicoteNew York CityNYRecord Executive
9358Jim HudakClaytonCAComposer and Musician
9359Gerry DrummondDumontNJPoet/Writer
9360Richard T. BryantCarrizozoNMphotographer
9361Michael PenneyRollinsfordNHPhotographer
9362Gregory AlexanderComptonCASongwriter/Producer
9363Wayne EastepSarasotaFLPhotogapher
9364marcy vajveniceCAmusician
9365Connie ToopsMarshallNCphotographer
9366Richard FerroneNew YorkNYActor
9367Stevie WilliamsGainesvilleFLWeb Designer/Photography
9368Janice DurbakNew Port RicheyFLMusician
9369lynde alvarezportola valleycaphotographer
9370Margaret GaspardNew YorkNYSinger/Actress/Writer
9371daniel murdockseattleWAphotographer
9372Dennis WilsonHendersonvilleTNsinger/writer
9373Kevin SmithAtlantaGAMusic Producer/Graphic Designer/Motion Designer
9374Steve WhittakerFoster CItyCAArchitectural Photographer
9375Joseph DiPaloNew YorkNYSongwriter
9376Joe HowardSherman OaksCAActor/Writer
9377Tyson EllisSanta BarbaraCAPhotographer
9378ValJean AndersonVallejoCAPhotographer
9379Jamie DownsSilver SpringMDPainter
9380Catrine MacDonaldWashingtonDCLyricist
9381Bob CrawfordNew YorkNYWriter/Producer
9382Jan LederDobbs FerryNYflutist/songwriter/lyricist
9383Marc GiammarcoGrahamsvilleNYSongwriter/Musician
9384Michael GeistOttawaONlegal scholar
9385Judith BlumenthalNew YorkNYSongwriter
9386amanda granthamenigmagaphotography
9387Jibril AntarBostonMAartist management
9388Gloria J. BarrySan DiegoCAPhotographer
9389Dr. Lynn JobDentonTXComposer/Publisher
9390pete andersonglendaleca.GUITARIST/PRODUCER
9391Anna ChipmanAlamedaCAFine Art Photographer
9392Joel pomerantzgaithersburgmdsongwriter
9393LeahDavisAZillustrator
9394Margot MacDonaldWashingtonDCsongwriter/musician/visual artist
9395Anthony ChaseFort LauderdaleFLPhotographer & professor of art law
9396Glynace EasthamHoustonTXperforming songwriter/ret teacher
9397Dale EffrenBeverly HillsCADale Effren
9398Dale RobertsonYukonOKActor/Screenwriter
9399Leroy Michael Evans JrAuroraCOPhotographer