Public Funding for the Arts in the Midwest: 2026 by the Numbers 

Each year, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) tracks legislative appropriations to state arts agencies, offering a picture of how states are investing in creativity, culture, and community vitality.

These public dollars support more than 25,000 grants annually to schools, nonprofit organizations, artists, and local governments, ensuring that the economic, educational, and civic benefits of the arts reach residents in every legislative district. 

The FY2026 data tell a mixed story. While some states are maintaining or increasing base appropriations, overall investment is declining, and long-term trends reveal a steady erosion in the real value of state arts funding. 

Read on for more insights into national and Midwest arts funding trends, or check out the map below to explore per capita arts funding in Arts Midwest’s region.

2026 Arts Funding: It’s Complicated 

The 2026 data tell a mixed story about state-level arts funding. 

Nationally, legislative appropriations to state arts agencies totaled $646 million in FY2026—a 5.9% decrease from the $694.3 million appropriated in FY2025. (These figures include line-item appropriations, which are designated funds for special projects, organizations, and initiatives often directed by the legislature.) 

The FY2026 decrease translates to $1.88 per capita in public arts funding across the country, down $0.14 from the previous year’s $2.02 in per capita funding nationally. 

Photo Credit: Lynn Bierbaum, courtesy of Foci MCGA

Nuanced Trend Lines

Overall, data from the last few years reveals a downward trend, but the picture is not entirely grim.

When including line items, FY2025’s $694.3 million was already an 8.1% decrease from FY2024’s $755 million appropriation, with both of those figures falling far below the FY2023 high of $975 million.

When excluding line items, FY2026 is still down 25% from the 2023 high of $738 million, however, the $573 million appropriated in FY2026 represents a 2.5% uptick from FY2025’s $559 million.

The decline in total state arts agency appropriations, then, is not universal. Rather, it’s primarily driven by decreases in line items and significant decreases in some states.

To those ends, 25 state arts agencies saw an increase in appropriation, 11 stayed flat, and 20 saw decreases. Where decreases happened, they were often dramatic. More than half of the states that saw a decrease dropped more than 10%, with a median decrease of 12.8%

 

Long-Term Erosion

When looking just at the appropriations, arts funding does remain above pre-pandemic levels, even when adjusted for inflation. However, when factoring in population changes, the power of these appropriations becomes stressed.

The most sobering statistic may be this:

“State arts agencies serve all residents within their respective states, and as populations increase, appropriations must rise just to provide each resident with the same level of benefit,” writes the NASAA team.

“When converted to 2001 dollars, FY2026’s per capita funding [of $1.88] equals just $1.04—compared to $1.57 in 2001, a real decline of 34%. This erosion demonstrates how population growth and inflation have reduced the real value of arts support over 25 years, underscoring the need for funding increases that keep pace with both demographic and economic changes.”

The takeaway: while some states are holding steady or increasing base appropriations, the erosion of line items and failure to keep pace with inflation and population growth are weakening the long-term capacity of state arts agencies.

Photo Credit: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

A Closer Look at the Midwest 

The Midwest reflects the national complexity: strong funding in some states, significant vulnerability in others. 

Across the nine states that compose Arts Midwest’s service area, legislative appropriations to state arts agencies decreased – totaling $113 million in FY2026, down 9.5% from the $124 million appropriated in FY2025. (These figures exclude line items.) 

On average, 2026 per capita state arts funding is $1.90 in the Midwest, a decrease of $0.23 since 2025. With Minnesota removed from the data set (see note below), the average per capita spending in Midwestern states is $1.16, quite below the national average of $1.88.  

Here’s a quick snapshot of per capita arts funding in each state, excluding line items, along with how they rank nationally: 

Additional Notes & Context

• Indiana saw a dramatic drop in state appropriations in FY2026. The Arts Commission’s appropriation is down 37% year over year due to widespread budget reductions across the state government.  
• Minnesota remains robustly funded, but is not immune to changes. The state continues to be an outlier in the national data, with its unparalleled Legacy Amendment, a 25-year investment in clean water, land, and legacy, which includes preservation of arts and cultural heritage. Thanks to those funds, Minnesota ranks first in the nation in per capita arts funding – an impressive $7.85 in FY2026. However, that figure does represent a decrease from the FY2025 figure of $10.07, as the state saw a 22% decrease in arts appropriations year over year.  
• Wisconsin and Iowa continue to rank near the bottom for per capita funding levels.  Like FY2025, the states are coming in at 48th and 46th in the nation, respectively. 

Photo Credit: Alana Horton

What’s at Stake for Our States

The most concerning takeaway is not the year-over-year fluctuation. It is the long-term erosion.

When adjusted for inflation and population growth, per capita state arts funding has declined dramatically over the past 25 years. In real terms, today’s investment delivers significantly less impact per resident than it did a generation ago.

For policymakers, the implications are clear: flat funding is not stable funding. As costs rise and populations grow, maintaining access to arts education, rural programming, creative workforce development, and community health partnerships requires appropriations that keep pace with economic reality.

State arts agencies are proven, efficient public investments. They leverage federal funds, private philanthropy, earned revenue, and local support to stretch every state dollar. They power small businesses, strengthen downtowns, support veterans and older adults, and help students succeed.

In tighter fiscal environments, strategic investment matters more, not less. Sustained, inflation-aware funding for state arts agencies ensures that creativity continues to drive economic resilience, civic connection, and opportunity in every community.

“We appreciate this annual report that helps us compare our state’s legislative appropriations with those in other states in our region and across the nation,” says George Tzougros, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Arts Board. “We should never lose sight of the amazing and important work our region’s state arts agencies are doing with the resources made available to them.”