Advocacy

See the information below about the results of a recent rally to support arts education in Arizona. Do you have stories from your state as the fiscal year winds down? Send to smilling@mailbox.sc.edu to be shared on the advocacy forum. We can learn from stories from within the field.

Arts supporters in Arizona have reason to celebrate.

The Arizona Legislature has passed and Governor Ducey has signed a Fiscal Year 2019 budget that includes a $2 million allocation for the Arizona Commission on the Arts, derived from interest earned on the state Rainy Day fund.

This allocation represents an increase of $500,000 increase over this year’s $1.5 million allocation.

This is an outcome that seemed unlikely just two weeks ago, after the first budget plan which included the teacher pay raise package was released and omitted ANY allocation for the Arts Commission. Existing grant programs risked as much as a 70% cut.

However, arts advocates all over the state rallied with more than 4,000 emails delivered to the Governor and legislators through our advocacy center, as well as many, many more personal calls and emails. Community and business leaders also reached out to legislators and the Governor to stress the importance and value of the arts to Arizona citizens and communities.