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Arkansas: Small Works on Paper Exhibition

Many state arts agencies facilitate art exhibitions, not only to support the work of artists in their states but also to celebrate creativity and invite civic engagement around art. Touring exhibitions are a special strategy state arts agencies use to make those benefits accessible to diverse communities. Small Works on Paper is a unique annual […]

New York: Capital Project Grants

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. […]

Alaska: Youth Cultural Heritage Grant Program

The Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) supports cultural heritage education and engagement through the Youth Cultural Heritage Grant Program. Funded by the Rasmuson Foundation, the program helps school-age children and youth have meaningful interactions with culture bearers, elders and teaching artists. Students learn traditional and contemporary art forms integral to many aspects of […]

Maine, Oklahoma, South Dakota: Capitol Exhibits

Capitol art exhibits are a strategy state arts agencies adopt to showcase and celebrate the arts as an important part of state policy and public pride. Exhibiting artworks or cultural events in state capitol buildings helps to raise public awareness about the arts, create visibility for local artists and educate elected officials about the role […]

Pennsylvania and Utah: Creative Aging

NASAA, in partnership with E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, granted nearly $1.5 million to 36 state arts agencies (SAAs) to support creative aging initiatives. The wide variety of programming across all 36 SAAs acknowledged the impactful role arts and creativity can play in supporting a higher quality of life and healthier living for older adults. Two grantees, […]

Georgia: More than Murals

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 […]

WESTAF: Have You Seen My Public Art?

Public art has many civic benefits. Aside from enlivening and beautifying public spaces, public art makes communities distinctive and attractive places to live, visit and do business. Whether supported through state percent for art policies or other programs, public art installations can serve as focal points for civic engagement. They create job opportunities for artists […]

Nevada: Basin to Range Exchange Program

Using arts, creativity and culture as a convener to improve community interactions and quality of life is a focal point of the Nevada Arts Council. As part of this commitment, the Arts Council launched the Nevada Basin to Range Exchange (BRX), a program that facilitates rural and metropolitan partnerships by promoting resource sharing, project development, […]

Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Maryland: State Cultural Districts

A smiling crowd of people outdoors, a few of them holding a large pair of scissors primed to cut a red ribbon.

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 […]

Missouri: Featured Artists Program

A collage of the August 2022 Missouri Featured Artists Program (left to right): Image of a book cover titled, "The Languages of Trees" by Steve Wiegenstein with the image of two pinecones and pine needles; a red metal sculpture of a horse by Butch Murphy placed in an outdoor setting; Paige Alyssa, a Black artist singing on stage; an encaustic painting of a butterfly on the top half and a collage of a rising sun.

Artists play a pivotal role in fueling a creative state. In an effort to promote and support local artists, the Missouri Arts Council launched the Featured Artists program. Through this initiative, the council spotlights four individual artists each month who are producing original work in a variety of art mediums and genres, including but not […]