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NASAA Notes: January 2026

January
2026

In this Issue

From the President and CEO

State to State

Legislative Update

The Research Digest

Announcements and Resources

More Notes from NASAA

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From the President and CEO
Pam Breaux Headshot
AUTHOR:

Pam Breaux
January 5, 2026

2026 Initiatives to Empower State Arts Agencies

Happy new year! As we step together into 2026, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the resilience and vision of our state and jurisdictional arts agency (SAA) community. This year marks…
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State to State
Shaun Harrison Headshot
AUTHOR:

Shaun Harrison
January 7, 2026

Kansas and South Carolina: Arts in Medicine Partnerships

Incorporating the arts into patient treatments can improve clinical health outcomes. A growing body of evidence shows that the arts provide direct health benefits across a range of health concerns, improving patient outcomes for many…
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Kelly J. Barsdate Headshot
AUTHOR:

Kelly J. Barsdate
January 5, 2026

Connecticut: Cultural Innovation Lab at Yale

Research and development (R&D) labs are common in the fields of technology, medicine, engineering and manufacturing. They help entrepreneurs, scholars, industry experts and investors to explore new product ideas and find ways to bring them…
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Kelly J. Barsdate Headshot
AUTHOR:

Kelly J. Barsdate
January 5, 2026

Arizona and Indiana: Grant Impact at a Glance

State arts agencies have a long-standing practice of publishing information about their grants to show how taxpayers’ dollars are spent. Apart from demonstrating transparency and accountability, such reports offer a useful communications opportunity. State arts…
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Legislative Update
Isaac Brown Headshot
AUTHOR:

Isaac Brown
January 5, 2026

FY2026 Appropriations Top Agenda for Congress

Congress has returned to Washington following the holiday recess, and lawmakers in both chambers are now laser-focused on completing a full fiscal year 2026 appropriations package before current funding expires on January 30. At this…
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The Research Digest
Shaun Harrison Headshot
AUTHOR:

Shaun Harrison
January 5, 2026

From the Research Team

NASAA Answers Your Questions As part of NASAA’s service to state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and the greater arts and culture field, NASAA responds to requests for information on a wide variety of arts,…
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January 5, 2026

From the Field

Does Distance Affect Attendance? In a new report from the Wallace Foundation, Proximity and Performing Arts Attendance, researchers examined if an audience member’s distance from a performing arts venue affects whether or not they will…
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Announcements and Resources
January 5, 2026

Member News and NASAA Resources

New Mission and Name: Pennsylvania Creative Industries The governing body for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts recently adopted a new strategic framework and mission: Empowering, connecting and amplifying creatives and creative industries and their…
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More Notes from NASAA
January 5, 2026

Help in Accessing NASAA Information

Find upcoming peer group meetings and NASAA learning sessions on the Upcoming NASAA Events Calendar. Need help accessing member content on the NASAA website? Contact NASAA Senior Communications Manager Sue Struve. Let NASAA know if…
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