Funding for arts agencies in Colorado to reach $2 million in fiscal 2020
Legislative appropriations for Colorado arts agencies are projected to reach $2 million for fiscal year 2020, which equates to 35 cents per capita in the state, according to a report from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA).
The state’s per-capita funding for arts agencies is the sixth lowest among all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the analysis said.
In fiscal year 2019, Colorado allocated $2 million to arts agencies in the state. The change in funding between fiscal years 2019 and 2020 was 0 percent.
The NASAA identifies a number of ways state governments provide revenue to arts agencies, but the primary source of funds is a state’s general fund, according to the report.
Other sources of arts agency funding include special taxes or fees, lottery and gaming taxes, specialty arts license plates and income tax checkoffs.
State Legislative Appropriations Going to Arts Agencies
| State | Total FY 2019 Legislative Arts Funding | Total FY 2020 Legislative Arts Funding | % Change, FY2019 to FY2020 | Per-Capita Legislative Arts Funding | Per-Capita Funding Rank |
| Washington, D.C. | $30,389,000 | $33,632,233 | 10.7% | $47.88 | 1 |
| Minnesota | $39,276,000 | $40,741,000 | 3.7% | $7.26 | 2 |
| Hawaii | $6,995,067 | $6,995,067 | 0.0% | $4.92 | 3 |
| Maryland | $21,747,233 | $23,702,000 | 9.0% | $3.92 | 4 |
| Delaware | $3,206,300 | $3,313,000 | 3.3% | $3.43 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | $16,154,982 | $18,180,000 | 12.5% | $2.63 | 6 |
| Utah | $6,266,200 | $7,705,400 | 23.0% | $2.44 | 7 |
| New York | $45,334,000 | $43,951,000 | -3.1% | $2.25 | 8 |
| South Carolina | $4,215,938 | $11,341,448 | 169.0% | $2.23 | 9 |
| Rhode Island | $1,989,693 | $2,084,748 | 4.8% | $1.97 | 10 |
| Wyoming | $1,038,975 | $1,108,438 | 6.7% | $1.92 | 11 |
| New Jersey | $16,405,000 | $16,405,000 | 0.0% | $1.84 | 12 |
| Illinois | $12,896,800 | $22,896,800 | 77.5% | $1.80 | 13 |
| Connecticut | $5,218,700 | $5,218,700 | 0.0% | $1.46 | 14 |
| California | $27,419,000 | $56,119,000 | 104.7% | $1.42 | 15 |
| Ohio | $14,653,879 | $16,470,723 | 12.4% | $1.41 | 16 |
| Florida | $7,404,260 | $26,647,536 | 259.9% | $1.25 | 17 |
| Alabama | $5,459,496 | $5,828,528 | 6.8% | $1.19 | 18 |
| Tennessee | $7,175,800 | $7,995,500 | 11.4% | $1.18 | 19 |
| Vermont | $717,735 | $722,800 | 0.7% | $1.15 | 20 |
| South Dakota | $927,103 | $996,797 | 7.5% | $1.13 | 21 |
| Missouri | $6,458,929 | $6,570,824 | 1.7% | $1.07 | 22 |
| North Dakota | $782,438 | $803,102 | 2.6% | $1.06 | 23 |
| Michigan | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | 0.0% | $1.00 | 24 |
| Alaska | $692,800 | $704,400 | 1.7% | $0.96 | 25 |
| North Carolina | $9,102,787 | $8,802,787 | -3.3% | $0.85 | 26 |
| Pennsylvania | $10,464,000 | $10,481,000 | 0.2% | $0.82 | 27 |
| Nebraska | $1,477,145 | $1,508,852 | 2.1% | $0.78 | 28 |
| Maine | $926,061 | $1,006,222 | 8.3% | $0.75 | 29 |
| Oklahoma | $2,799,266 | $2,912,531 | 4.0% | $0.74 | 30 |
| New Mexico | $1,321,900 | $1,332,300 | 0.8% | $0.64 | 31 |
| Indiana | $4,000,000 | $3,920,491 | -2.0% | $0.59 | 32 |
| New Hampshire | $498,728 | $805,229 | 61.5% | $0.59 | 33 |
| Texas | $5,043,064 | $15,164,538 | 200.7% | $0.53 | 34 |
| Montana | $516,313 | $551,314 | 6.8% | $0.52 | 35 |
| Idaho | $841,000 | $884,700 | 5.2% | $0.50 | 36 |
| West Virginia | $879,806 | $870,758 | -1.0% | $0.48 | 37 |
| Arkansas | $1,425,944 | $1,425,944 | 0.0% | $0.47 | 38 |
| Oregon | $2,668,717 | $1,959,497 | -26.6% | $0.47 | 39 |
| Iowa | $1,267,188 | $1,467,188 | 15.8% | $0.46 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $2,131,469 | $2,165,285 | 1.6% | $0.46 | 41 |
| Virginia | $3,730,751 | $3,855,751 | 3.4% | $0.45 | 42 |
| Nevada | $2,003,598 | $1,327,366 | -33.8% | $0.44 | 43 |
| Kentucky | $1,708,700 | $1,728,900 | 1.2% | $0.39 | 44 |
| Mississippi | $1,595,294 | $1,169,421 | -26.7% | $0.39 | 45 |
| Colorado | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | 0.0% | $0.35 | 46 |
| Arizona | $2,000,000 | $2,200,000 | 10.0% | $0.31 | 47 |
| Washington | $1,633,000 | $2,169,000 | 32.8% | $0.29 | 48 |
| Kansas | $500,000 | $500,000 | 0.0% | $0.17 | 49 |
| Georgia | $1,211,310 | $1,517,217 | 25.3% | $0.14 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $763,000 | $790,000 | 3.5% | $0.14 | 51 |
Source: National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
The Center Square is a project of the 501(c)(3) Franklin News Foundation, headquartered in Chicago.
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