In January 2021, the state of Massachusetts enacted legislation establishing the Massachusetts COVID-19 Cultural Impact Commission—a special legislative commission charged with developing strategies for the recovery, growth and vitality of the creative sector in the commonwealth. Cochaired by state Sen. Ed Kennedy and state Rep. Carole Fiola, the commission included representation from the Mass Cultural…
State and federal arts funding often is restricted to organizations holding 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service. Many arts groups worthy of public support, however, exist outside of the formal 501(c)(3) business model. The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) has developed an innovative way to assist such organizations by creating purposeful partnerships between…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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