From the Research Team

State Arts Agency Funding Preview for FY2027

NASAA has released the FY2027 State Arts Agency Legislative Appropriations Preview, presenting preliminary funding projections for all 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies for fiscal year 2027. The data reflects a constrained budget environment, as states manage slower revenue growth and tightening fiscal conditions.

State arts agencies are projected to receive $676.2 million in total appropriations in FY2027, a 2.5% increase over FY2026 enacted levels. Baseline funding is projected to grow by 1.3%, rising from $552.1 million to $559.3 million. State general funds are projected to grow by a median of 0.6% over the same period. These are nominal figures, not adjusted for inflation. Even with this modest growth, funding levels remain well above prepandemic totals, with FY2027 projections running 61% higher than FY2021’s $421.2 million.

Within these national totals, outcomes vary considerably by state: 23 states and jurisdictions anticipate funding increases, 19 expect decreases, and 14 project appropriations that will remain effectively unchanged (changes of less than 0.5%), reflecting each state’s distinct fiscal circumstances rather than a uniform national trend. As of this report’s release, 48 states and jurisdictions had enacted FY2027 budgets. These are preliminary estimates collected mostly in May and June 2026 and are expected to change. Namely, several states have not yet finalized their FY2027 budgets, a few agencies have indicated their appropriations are extremely likely to change, and even states with enacted budgets may revisit them later this year as revenue and spending conditions shift. NASAA will collect updated figures this fall, and will provide a comprehensive report in the winter documenting final appropriation decisions across all state arts agencies.

For detailed state-specific information, contact NASAA Research Manager Nakyung Rhee. Visit NASAA’s Funding page to access funding data visualizations, including the projected per capita appropriations map.