The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) periodically conducts surveys exploring public perceptions of the arts in Ohio communities. Apart from being a requirement of OAC’s enabling statute, such surveys are a vehicle for welcoming broad citizen input into the work of the agency. Used in combination with other feedback loops (like grantee reports, program evaluations and…
As state governments seek to leverage the economic power of the arts, multiple state arts agencies (SAAs) have been selected to assist in leading strategic plans for their states’ creative economies. State policymakers are seeking to capitalize on the outsize role the creative economy plays in both economic value added and jobs created, with arts…
State arts agencies (SAAs) nationwide recognize the importance of fair and transparent allocation of funds to support diverse communities and cultural organizations. In a noteworthy development, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) recently introduced several new grant making policy changes aimed at streamlining and transforming its funding process to make funds more accessible. With…
In 2022, New Jersey’s arts service organizations came together through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Communities of Practice initiative. Through these convenings, the group strategized ways to address important issues affecting the arts field—issues like fair pay, salary transparency, workforce retention and sector sustainability. An outgrowth of this collaborative work was ArtsPay…
In 2023, the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) initiated an assessment of its grant making strategies. As a first step, the agency sought community input through an extensive statewide listening tour. IAC staff and council members conducted 34 town hall meetings in over 20 counties. The meetings were attended by more than 200 cultural organizations as…
As state legislative sessions move forward, policymakers will need to know how state arts funds are spent and what the return on their investment is. A number of state arts agencies have recently published impact reports that answer such questions. Browse the below to glean ideas for communicating about the importance of state arts agency…
As stewards of public funding, state arts agencies continually seek ways to measure and evaluate their grant making. This data-driven self-reflection is essential for better management of funds and improved outcomes, and fills gaps in current programming. As part of its long-term strategy to make its impact more equitable, the California Arts Council (CAC) has…
As we wrote earlier this year, state arts agencies are pursuing a wide range of programs to ensure that folk and traditional artists are well-supported within their state. This month, NASAA features two more states that are employing powerful strategies to promote the preservation, transmission and creation of folk and traditional arts. The Nebraska Arts…
Public art programs are a powerful strategy that state arts agencies employ to encourage public appreciation of the arts, enliven public space, strengthen community identity, and engage and support artists from all backgrounds. The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) has undertaken a series of steps to ensure that its Art in…
Many state arts agencies across the nation are assessing their grant programs and practices to identify ways to improve access to arts resources. The work undertaken by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) in this area is a recent example. In January 2020, DCA appointed a Grant-making Task Force to help review and improve…
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