On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan, an expansive $1.9 trillion stimulus package intended to deliver federal relief throughout the nation as it enters the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are pleased to report that the package includes provisions that direct vital support to the nation’s arts sector.

One such provision in the American Rescue Plan includes $135 million in aid to be distributed through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), 60% of which will be administered directly by the NEA and 40% of which will flow through states and regions.

We do not yet know exactly how much funding will be directed to the State of Arizona, nor when we can expect it to arrive. Further, we cannot yet provide concrete information on a distribution plan, including eligibility or any relevant application process. At this time, we can only assure you that we will provide updates as they become available.

In the meantime, as Arizona’s legislators work diligently to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2022, arts advocates throughout the state continue to declare their support for the inclusion of funding for the arts. For more information on this effort, we invite you to visit the website of Arizona Citizens for the Arts.

We look forward to sharing more information as it becomes available. Until then, thank you for your ongoing service in the arts and to Arizona communities.