In the course of our representation of a music products trade association, we have been actively engaged in influencing education policy at many levels. We organized a broad coalition of arts education organizations and mobilized the group to achieve its objective, which was to convince federal policymakers that arts education is characterized by rigorous, sequential instruction by qualified teachers. This led to language in the No Child Left Behind Act that specifically included music and the arts as core curriculum subjects. We also secured language in the Act that provided for a formal consultative role for arts educators in designing and implementing arts education programs. We obtained hearing opportunities and orchestrated press events with Members of Congress and celebrities highlighting the importance of music education. When we brought one "celebrity" to testify before the House Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee, we generated over 900 million media impressions. Our advocacy message was captured and disseminated via CNN's Inside Politics, CBS Early Show, USA Today, BBC News, AP and other news outlets.