Louisiana: Bayou Culture Collaborative
Louisiana is facing the most acute coastal erosion crisis in the nation. Every 100 minutes, an area equivalent to a football field disappears from the Louisiana coastline. In recent decades, Louisiana’s land loss has exceeded 2,000 square miles, an area roughly the size of the whole state of Delaware. Change of this magnitude has an […]
Wyoming: Native Art Fellowship
For many years, the Wyoming Arts Council has awarded annual fellowships that recognize visual, literary and performing artists. That portfolio is now expanding to include the Native Art Fellowship. This program, new in 2021, is designed to raise the visibility and support the artistry of Native artists in Wyoming. This effort was inspired in part […]
Pennsylvania: Operating Support
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) recently announced a new grant-making strategy designed to increase funding equity for organizations serving Black, Indigenous and/or people of color (BIPOC) and rural communities. Such groups—which tend to be smaller-capacity organizations rooted in communities with fewer resources—face numerous historical inequities and obstacles to securing funding for the arts. […]
Washington, Vermont: COVID-19 Relief Reporting
Through the course of 2020, state arts agencies (SAAs) across the nation distributed relief funds and retooled their ongoing grant programs to support cultural organizations and artists during COVID-19. The National Endowment for the Arts Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocation made relief funding possible for all states and jurisdictions, and SAAs […]
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 […]
Massachusetts: CultureRx Initiative
At the beginning of this year, Mass Cultural Council began a unique joint venture with Massachusetts Health Connector—the Massachusetts state health insurance marketplace—to promote healthier living through cultural engagement. Aimed at the hundreds of thousands of residents who are enrolled through Massachusetts Health Connector, this program provides free or reduced-price admission to more than 100 […]
Pennsylvania: Creative Business Loan Fund
In an exciting new opportunity for small creative businesses across Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) has organized the Creative Business Loan Fund. This Creative Business Loan is the direct result of a unique public-private partnership between the state, Bridgeway Capital and Community First Fund. It makes $2.2 million available to support the […]
Kentucky: Native Reflections
The Kentucky Arts Council, the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission and the Kentucky Heritage Council worked together to produce Native Reflections, a traveling exhibit of artworks by Native American artists living in Kentucky. This juried show honors and celebrates indigenous cultures and confronts the common misconception that Native American culture is reflective only of past […]
South Arts: Emerging Leaders Cohort
South Arts has launched the Emerging Leaders of Color program. Designed to nurture the next generation of diverse cultural leaders in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, this professional development initiative will help promising arts professionals to establish networks, build their skills, support their careers and advocate for the cultural […]
Washington, Texas, South Carolina, Vermont: State CARES Act Arts Programs
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act included $75 million in COVID-19 relief funds to be distributed through the National Endowment for the Arts. To achieve broad and inclusive access to federal funds, Congress requires 40% of the Arts Endowment’s grant budget to be allocated to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations—a […]