Arizona: Empowering Rural
State and jurisdictional arts agencies play a vital role in ensuring rural communities have access to the arts. The Arizona Commission on the Arts rural programming—developed through deliberate community engagement—addresses different rural and remote barriers to participating in the arts and reflects the specific needs of Arizonans. By engaging in an extensive statewide strategic planning […]
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 agencies can package and present their data in creative ways to help policymakers and the public learn about the scope […]
Arizona: Creative Aging Initiative
A growing body of research demonstrates that the benefits of arts participation as we age are substantial. Research shows, for example, that older adults who engage in the arts experience improved health outcomes, strengthened social bonds and enhanced emotional well-being. State arts agencies contribute to these benefits through facilitating creative aging programming, which supports a […]
Arizona Tribal Consultation Policy
In 2022 the Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA) enacted a formal Tribal Consultation Policy, to strengthen its services to the state’s 22 federally recognized tribes. The policy formalizes ACA’s compliance with Section 41-2051 of the Arizona Statutes, which requires all state agencies to “Develop and implement tribal…
Arizona, Massachusetts: Youth Arts Councils
The arts constitute a vital part of youth development. They prepare students for academic success, equip young adults with the skills needed to thrive in the workplace, and foster meaningful relationships and community (learn more). State arts agencies support this growth through a variety of programs that promote artistic development and engage aspiring artists and […]
Maine, Arizona, Colorado: COVID-19 Grant Adaptations
State arts agencies are making rapid changes to their grant programs to help the arts field adjust to unforeseen circumstances stemming from COVID-19. These tactics include accelerating grant payments, extending deadlines, waiving matching requirements, converting project awards to operating support, and revising budget parameters to allow more flexibility in how award dollars are used. Some […]
Arizona: AZ ArtWorker
With three consecutive years of funding from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, AZ ArtWorker, an initiative of the Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA) and Arizona State University (ASU), has created dozens of opportunities for artists in remote and historically underserved communities to connect with and learn from their local, national and international peers. Based […]
Arizona: Next50 Initiative
The Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA) is marking its 50th anniversary by launching Next50, a program celebrating the creativity of Arizonans and Arizona communities by empowering them to identify their creative potential and to cocreate the ideas that will guide ACA’s next half-century of service to residents. A primary aim of this new cooperative […]
Arizona: Generation(s) Lab
The Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA) has begun the second phase of its three-year AZ Creative Aging Initiative, which it launched in 2015 with support from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to encourage development of arts programs for older adults and to disseminate related knowledge and best practices. The new component, Generation(s) Lab, is […]
Arizona: Creative Aging Initiative
According to the U.S. Census, the number of older adults is rapidly growing in the United States. In Arizona, the estimate is that by 2020 more than 25% of the populace will be over age 60. In response to this forecast—and to the demonstrated benefits of arts and cultural activities among older populations—the Arizona Commission […]