March 15, 2012

Fiscal Year 2012 Legislative Appropriations

Twice each year, NASAA collects comprehensive information on state arts agency (SAA) revenues. This data helps members put their own budgets in context and provides accurate data about state arts agencies to partners and the public. The most recent survey collected details on states’ fiscal year 2011 and 2012 budgets.

According to the FY2012 Legislative Appropriations Annual Survey  report, legislative appropriations to state arts agencies declined by 4.0% to $263.0 million in fiscal year 2012. This is the smallest percentage and aggregate decline since the recession of 2007-2009, and the third year in a row that the rate of decline has decreased. Appropriations to SAAs increased in 15 states, while 35 states decreased appropriations to their SAA. Per capita appropriations to SAAs fell $0.04 to $0.83.

NASAA provides customized data from this survey as a research service to members. The topics of such data requests have included regional comparisons of appropriation changes, effects of proposed cuts on per capita rankings, the composition of legislative appropriations and long-term appropriations trends.

If you need customized information to answer questions from your council, legislators, the press or the public, or are just interested in learning more about legislative appropriations, contact Henry Clapp. For an overview of fiscal year 2012 state arts agency legislative appropriations, consult the press release, the full FY2012 Legislative Appropriations Annual Survey  report, and the State Budget Center. Additional information on SAA funding and why government should support the arts is available on the NASAA website.