On January 23, 2023, the Office of Governor Katie Hobbs published their executive budget for Fiscal Year 2024. We are pleased to report that the Governor’s proposed budget for the State of Arizona includes an historic $20 million one-time allocation to the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

On behalf of the board and staff of the Arts Commission, I wish to express our gratitude to Governor Hobbs for this powerful vote of confidence. With this proposal, our new Governor acknowledges the vital role of the state’s arts sector in building a resilient, innovative and prosperous Arizona for everyone.

By positioning culture and natural resources as one of five funding priorities for the year—alongside education, health & welfare, government that works, and public safety—the Governor echoes the Arts Commission’s own assertion that arts and culture are a vital and essential resource within rural, metro, and Tribal communities throughout our great state.

The Governor’s budget proposal is the first step in the budget-development process. Over the coming weeks, Arizona legislators will craft their own proposals for the State’s FY2024 budget. Throughout this legislative process, Arizona’s residents are encouraged to participate by expressing to their elected representatives what is most important to them and their communities.

In the meantime, please join us in thanking Governor Hobbs and all those who work to support, create, teach, and advance the arts in Arizona.

Jacky Alling
Interim Executive Director