A one-time legislative appropriation of $2 million in support of Arizona’s arts & culture sector is reaching communities throughout the state with today’s announcement of grants awarded to nonprofit organizations, festivals, and arts learning programs.
On August 20, 2026, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the State of Arizona, announced 409 grant awards totaling $2,655,846. Grants were awarded to a diverse array of organizations and programs spread across the state, from a community theater in Bullhead City to a pottery festival in Douglas, from world class museums to after-school arts programs.
“Creative expression is central to Arizona’s innovation, prosperity, and cultural vitality,” said Christina You-sun Park, Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. “Through strategic grantmaking the Arizona Commission on the Arts directs public funds to organizations, festivals, and programs that strengthen communities, support the state’s creative workforce, and enhance quality of life across Arizona.”
A full list of grantees and their awards can be found at https://azarts.gov/grants/grantees-fiscal-year-2027/
Grants were awarded in four categories:
Creative Capacity Grants provide general operating support to arts and culture organizations of all sizes whose primary mission is to produce, present, teach, or serve the arts.
This year, 275 organizations were awarded Creative Capacity Grants in amounts ranging from $800 to $24,000. Award amounts are based on the organization’s size and their application’s performance in the competitive public panel review process.
Festival Grants support organizations in their efforts to provide quality arts and cultural programming through community festival activities. Grant awards range from $2,300 – $5,000.
85 arts festivals received grants in this round of funding. Ten of these grants were funded through a $50,000 grant from the Flinn Foundation (https://www.flinn.org/) dedicated to the support of arts festivals in rural and remote Arizona.
Lifelong Arts Engagement Grants support projects that foster meaningful arts learning experiences in community settings for adult learners of any age. Youth Arts Engagement Grants support programs focused on young people, ages 24 and under, that occur outside of traditional school hours.
Between the two programs, 49 arts engagement programs received grants of up to $5,000.
Application and Review Process
In accordance with the Arts Commission’s strategic plan and governing statutes, applicants are awarded grants based on such factors as organizational capacity, public benefit, and fiscal practices.
Grant applications are reviewed through a rigorous and open panel process that is available to applicants as well as the broader public. Review panels are composed of community leaders, educators, arts administrators, and working artists from rural, urban, and suburban areas throughout Arizona. In addition, panels are chaired by Governor-appointed Commissioners.
Funding the Arts in Arizona
The Arizona Commission on the Arts administers public funds dedicated to the arts by both the State of Arizona and the Federal Government. The State’s Arts Trust Fund, which collects a portion of annual Corporation Commission filing fees, contributes an average of $1.2 million to the agency’s annual budget. A state partnership grant from the National Endowment for the Arts contributes $1 million each year, on average. The $2 million one-time legislative appropriation to the Arts Commission for Fiscal Year 2027 augments these funding streams.
Looking to the Future
This investment in the arts comes as the Arizona Commission on the Arts prepares to celebrate its 60th year as an agency of the State of Arizona. Since its establishment in 1967, the Arts Commission has administered federal and state funds dedicated to the arts by statute and legislative appropriation. According to Arts Commission Executive Director Christina You-sun Park, “Arizona’s arts sector is vibrant, diverse, and interconnected. Organizations large and small, artists, cultural workers, and administrators all contribute to a shared ecosystem that strengthens communities, enriches lives, and drives economic growth for all Arizonans.”
This past spring the agency released their strategic plan for 2027-2031, the culmination of a year-long public input and planning process that engaged more than 1,300 Arizonans from communities across the state. The plan can be found at https://azarts.gov/strategic-plan/.
