Virginia: Passport Program Partnership with the Virginia Department of Health
The Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) has engaged the Virginia Department of Health to pursue a new partnership that provides free and discounted tickets to arts organizations for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program cardholders across Virginia. The new Passport Program will provide discounted or free tickets to cultural venues and events for WIC […]
Indiana: Creative Convergence Program
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 […]
Kansas, Wyoming and South Arts: Supporting the Music Industry
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 […]
North Dakota: Partnering to Support Native Arts and Culture
The North Dakota Council on the Arts is building stronger relationships with Native communities by collaborating with Indigenous artists and culture bearers to archive, repatriate, and share traditional songs and important cultural stories. With a collaboration spanning over 10 years, the North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA), 13 Native artists and the North Dakota […]
Pennsylvania: Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program
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 […]
Iowa: Fine Arts Education Summit
State arts agencies are vital partners in supporting student learning and engagement in the arts and the professional development of arts educators. To this end, the Iowa Arts Council (IAC) promotes and assists in the development of teaching professionals and reinforces state fine arts standards through its biennial Iowa Fine Arts Education Summit. IAC’s Fine […]
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Recovery Fund
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 […]
Nebraska and Tennessee: Folk and Traditional Arts Programs
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 […]
Oregon: Arts and Culture Caucus
On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Oregon Arts Commission was developing its new strategic plan, the agency heard a recurring refrain from artists, arts organizations, civic leaders and elected officials across the state: strengthen and secure dependable funding for the creative sector. This became the first goal of the agency’s new Strategic […]
Hawaiʻi: Supporting Native Hawaiians in Public Art
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 […]