State arts agencies (SAAs) and regional arts organizations (RAOs) have a strong desire to support the creative lives and occupations of their constituents as well as the health of any given creative industry. Programming and grants across Kansas and Wyoming, and a national jazz initiative led by South Arts, showcase the variety of strategies used…
Creators are the foundation of a healthy creative economy. They serve as the originators and producers of creative goods and services. As small businesses, artists and artisans generate economic opportunity while also shaping and facilitating civic engagement. The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is fueling this component of the creative economy through its Creative…
Helping the folk and traditional arts to thrive is an important part of what state arts agencies do. Using a mixture of federal and state funds, state arts agencies provide a wide variety of programs and partnerships that help culture bearers and communities to celebrate, preserve, share and dynamically grow their cherished traditions. Mississippi, Nevada…
New Mexico Arts recently announced the 2023 New Mexico Arts Artist Residency program awardees. The project will hold two artist residencies at the Bosque Redondo Memorial Historical Site. The Bosque Redondo Memorial Historic Site, located in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, is a historically significant venue. The site is dedicated to preserving the history of the…
State arts agencies employ a variety of strategies to support the work of individual artists. The most visible artist grant programs are often fellowships, which are generally awarded to accomplished artists and provide unrestricted funding. However, state arts agencies seek to support all practicing artists and do so through a combination of networking opportunities, project…
Many state arts agencies facilitate art exhibitions, not only to support the work of artists in their states but also to celebrate creativity and invite civic engagement around art. Touring exhibitions are a special strategy state arts agencies use to make those benefits accessible to diverse communities. Small Works on Paper is a unique annual…
Public art has many civic benefits. Aside from enlivening and beautifying public spaces, public art makes communities distinctive and attractive places to live, visit and do business. Whether supported through state percent for art policies or other programs, public art installations can serve as focal points for civic engagement. They create job opportunities for artists…
Artists play a pivotal role in fueling a creative state. In an effort to promote and support local artists, the Missouri Arts Council launched the Featured Artists program. Through this initiative, the council spotlights four individual artists each month who are producing original work in a variety of art mediums and genres, including but not…
Many state arts agencies run state galleries, artist showcases and juried exhibitions to support and highlight the work of artists in their states. These services often are used to facilitate public access to the arts and highlight communities, artists or issues that may face barriers to receiving creative recognition. The DC Commission on the Arts…
Montana, also known as Big Sky Country, is home to unique artistic traditions. To celebrate the state’s heritage and the deep relationship between place, landscape and culture, the Montana Arts Council (MAC) developed the Montana Circle of American Masters in the Folk and Traditional Arts. Through this program, MAC shines a spotlight on the contribution…
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