Arts and culture are essential drivers of community and economic development initiatives. They contribute to the creation of vibrant, sustainable communities that attract residents, visitors and businesses alike. The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) has long been invested in both the creative sector throughout the state and the success and sustainability of Indiana’s communities through arts…
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…
The State of Oklahoma has enacted a landmark $10 million investment in the arts and cultural sector. H.B. 2941 appropriates American Rescue Plan Act funds to create a new Statewide Recovery Special Account that will be used by the Oklahoma Arts Council to fortify local economies through the arts and rebuild a stronger and more…
Capital grant programs provide large-dollar funding to support the physical infrastructure of arts and cultural institutions. As a uniquely impactful type of funding, capital improvement grants empower organizations to acquire capital equipment, renovate and restore existing buildings, expand accessibility offerings and construct new spaces to serve as community anchors. With a historic investment by Gov.…
Arts and cultural strategies have the potential to strengthen the social fabric of communities. In an effort to address community challenges as well as to encourage economic growth, the Georgia Council for the Arts launched the More than Murals Workshop. The pilot project was developed after noting the overwhelming response to a virtual workshop previously…
Cultural districts can be an invaluable tool for states seeking to promote economic and community development. NASAA often receives information requests about the variety of strategies that leverage the economic strengths of the arts in cultural districts and the practical policies enacted that make them work. The following examples of state-led cultural districts highlight the…
Arts and cultural spaces help foster a sense of place and identity for both locals and visitors. To tap into this unique ability of the arts, the Indiana Arts Commission in partnership with Visit Indiana launched the Indiana Arts and Culture Passport. In addition to encouraging visitors to discover Indiana’s vibrant creative spaces, this project…
As part of a unique push to celebrate shared cultural identity in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA) has supported the development and licensing of an official Virgin Islands (V.I.) madras pattern. Madras textiles, which originated in Madras, India—now known as Chennai—became an important part of the African diaspora…
State arts agencies play a vital role in promoting arts opportunities in rural communities that, while rich in cultural assets and traditions, may face geographic or economic barriers to arts development. The Oklahoma Arts Council and the Tennessee Arts Commission recently launched new grant programs designed to advance rural development through the arts, culture and…
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) contains nearly $200 billion in emergency funding for states and territories to support a continued public health response, build infrastructure and promote equitable recovery. This state-led funding gives states and territories the ability to use these dollars in the ways that are most effective for each state. As with the…
2 / 11