State Arts Legislation Roundup for 2021

NASAA has released its State Legislative Roundup 2021, the latest in its annual review of state legislation important to state arts agencies and the arts community. As legislatures adapted and responded to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, NASAA continued to track bills affecting the spectrum of cultural policy, from bills creating new dedicated revenue sources to those promoting more even-handed practices.

This report—which includes 131 bills curated from the 1,560 we reviewed—is designed to help arts leaders stay current on legislation and ultimately advance policy that is beneficial for the arts at the state level. As such, it considers a wide range of bills, from those that significantly strengthen the arts to those that are more negative in impact. Likewise, it includes bills across the legislative process, from enacted to failed. The roundup also offers a set of infographics analyzing cultural policy trends over the past seven years.

Our tracking of legislation takes place over a multitude of sources and is greatly improved with the input of state arts agencies. We welcome news—now or at any point in the year—about past, current or pending legislation in your state. You can share your legislative leads, or questions, by contacting NASAA Research Associate Declan Wicks.