State legislatures continue to fund arts and humanities agencies at a reduced level, despite calls from the Trump administration to defund these programs. Total spending by the 50 states and four territories was $649.2 million for fiscal year 2026, marking a 7.4% decline from 2025. 29 states reported increased funding amidst an uncertain fiscal environment. However, several states, including New Hampshire, California, and Missouri, experienced significant cuts to their arts funding, reflecting fluctuations due to economic conditions and specific line-item funding initiatives.
"We're in an uncertain fiscal environment for state governments overall, but it is encouraging to see that 29 states increased their funding for their arts agencies. Overall, we can say that state legislatures around the country are sustaining their investment in the arts."
"State legislative funding for arts agencies often fluctuates, based on vicissitudes in the economy (on both the state and national levels) and on occasional line-item measures designed to support certain favoured projects."
"A shortfall in revenues in New Hampshire, which has no state income tax, resulted in the state legislature cutting its 2025-26 allocations to its Council on the Arts by 90%, from $1.5m to $150,000."
"California's appropriations declined 40.8% (from $39.3m to $23.2m), Missouri's dropped 59.7% (from $54.4m to $21.9m) and Kansas's dipped 34.3% ($1.5m to $1m)."
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