Florida ranks 17th in per capita arts funding
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Florida ranks 17th among states in terms of per capita funding to agencies supporting visual artists, dance troupes and small theaters, according to data from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Why it matters: The arts play a vital role in education, communities and the economy. Art, however, requires adequate and steady investment.
Catch up quick: The legislature appropriates funding for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs each year as part of its annual budget process.
- The state's arts and culture division was projected to receive roughly $30.7 million in the 2022 budget, according to NASAA's data.
Details: Connecticut allocates the most state funding per capita to arts, at nearly $10 (when including that state's significant use of earmarks), according to the nonprofit.
- Florida, by contrast, funds cultural affairs to the tune of $1.41 per capita. It would take an appropriation of more than $207 million for Florida to rank first in per capita arts spending.
Between the lines: Remember, this isn't the total amount of public funding spent on the arts in Florida; the data excludes funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, local governments, philanthropies and private donors.
Of note: Several bills dealing with the arts died in committee this session, including a bill that would have created a program to recognize high school graduates who attained high levels of skill in fine arts, and a bill to rename the Division of Cultural Affairs the Division of Arts and Culture.