Over the past several decades, a host of organizations have developed for the purpose of lobbying on behalf of the arts throughout the United States. Americans for the Arts was created in 1996 when the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies and the American Council for the Arts merged. The primary purpose of the nonprofit organization is to advance the cause of the arts in America through generating more resources for the arts and arts education. Their well-designed and thoughtful website will be of great interest to persons looking for resources on this topic, and also for organizations who may be looking to pursue additional funding resources for their own arts organizations. New visitors can gain quick entry into these collections by looking through sections that include policy and advocacy, research and information, and professional development. One of the best resources on the site is a report issued in 2004 titled “Creative Industries: Business & Employment in the Arts”, which is the first national study that covers both the nonprofit and for-profit arts industry.