News & Media

The Arizona Commission on the Arts is pleased to report that the Governor’s proposed balanced budget for FY2021 includes $2 million to fund grants in support of arts and arts education programs across the state. The board and staff of the Arts Commission are grateful to Governor Ducey for his support of the arts and those who contribute so much to the beauty, vitality, and identity of Arizona communities.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support grants throughout the entire country that connect people through shared experiences and artistic expression,” said Arts Endowment Chairman Mary Anne Carter. “These projects provide access to the arts for people of all abilities and backgrounds in both urban centers and rural communities.”

The application period for Fiscal Year 2021 Community Investment Grants and Festival Grants is now open! Community Investment Grants (CIG) provide unrestricted general operating support to nonprofit arts organizations of all sizes. Festival Grants support organizations in their efforts to provide quality arts programming through festival activities.

“This data helps highlight all of the incredible programs and classes that schools offer to students across our state,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. “I’m thrilled to see such an increase and to know that more and more of Arizona’s students have access to opportunities to engage in the arts. We must continue to expand access to arts education so all students are able to develop their creative muscles and reap the benefits that come from doing so.”

The transition from one decade into the next is traditionally a period of reflection on the past and planning for the future. In this spirit, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will ring in the 2020s with a community-engaged renovation of our flagship grant program, the Community Investment Grant.