Member News and NASAA Resources

Join Us in Washington, D.C., for NASAA Assembly 2026!

Join your colleagues from across the country in Washington, D.C., October 7–9, for NASAA Assembly 2026. Hosted by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, this premier gathering brings together state and jurisdictional arts agencies, regional partners, and national leaders for two days of shared learning, peer exchange and forward-looking conversations about the future of public support for the arts.

The NASAA Assembly 2026 agenda is coming together, including:

a plenary featuring National Endowment for the Arts Chair Mary Anne Carter
a plenary focusing on bipartisan advocacy strategies, with national policy and advocacy strategists
topical sessions exploring issues state arts agencies navigate every day, from advocacy and public policy to technology, workforce development, creative aging, artist economies, grant-making innovation, arts and health, and cross-sector partnerships
more than three hours for peer groups to connect and share approaches to best serve their constituents

Whether you’re looking to explore emerging trends, exchange ideas with peers, hear from inspiring national voices, or experience Washington, D.C.’s vibrant arts and cultural community, NASAA Assembly 2026 offers meaningful opportunities to connect, collaborate and strengthen the field together. NASAA members: register today!

State Arts Agencies Welcome New Leadership in Washington and Utah

Two state arts agencies are beginning new chapters with the appointment of experienced arts leaders to key positions.

The Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) has welcomed Dr. Rebekah Tabah Percival as its new executive director. She succeeds longtime Executive Director Karen Hanan, who recently retired after 12 years of leadership.

Dr. Percival joins ArtsWA from the Arizona Historical Society, where she served as assistant director and vice president of library, archives, collections, exhibits and education. Her career spans museums, archives, libraries and galleries across the United States, Canada and Europe, with expertise in cultural stewardship, public history and community engagement.

In addition, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums welcomes Kirsten Darrington as its new director this month. Darrington brings more than 15 years of experience in arts administration, grant making and public service. Most recently, she served as a program officer at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, helping oversee more than 400 grants each year to nonprofit organizations across Utah.

Darrington previously served as director of Salt Lake County’s Zoo, Arts, & Parks Program and as assistant director of the Utah Division of Arts & Museums from 2013 to 2016. Her career also includes leadership roles with Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Throughout her career, she has focused on expanding access to the arts, supporting cultural organizations and building partnerships that strengthen communities across Utah.

Help Spread the Word: Understanding the Evolving Role of Arts Service Organizations

NASAA is partnering with ADC Consulting to collect and analyze data on arts service organizations across the United States as part of a multiphase national research initiative. The study, Understanding Arts Service Organizations in a Changing Arts Ecosystem, seeks to better understand the role, impact and ongoing evolution of arts service, intermediary and regranting organizations in today’s changing arts ecosystem. The findings will help build a more comprehensive understanding of the vital role these organizations play in supporting the arts sector and informing its future. Additional partners include Seattle University, Alliance for Media Arts and Culture and Theatre Communications Group.

Help spread the word! State and jurisdictional arts agencies are encouraged to share information about this national survey with arts service organizations in their communities. Broad participation will help ensure the research reflects the diverse experiences, perspectives and contributions of organizations across the country.

Connecting Communities Through Creativity

Summer has a way of bringing people together—at concerts in the park, county fairs, neighborhood festivals, museums, theatres and community celebrations. These shared moments are part of something much bigger: creative experiences that connect us to one another and to the places we call home.

State arts agencies help make those connections possible and NASAA is proud to strengthen their work through advocacy, research, learning opportunities and a nationwide network of peers. Be part of celebrating the creativity that connects us all by making a gift—or becoming a monthly donor—to NASAA today. Your support helps sustain NASAA’s work, empower state arts agencies, and keep the arts as a bridge between people and communities. Thank you!