Commission on the Arts outlines grants and requests modest increase to expand arts education grants

The Idaho Commission on the Arts told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee Thursday it distributed roughly $880,000 in grants to schools and nonprofit organizations across 38 counties in the last fiscal year and is requesting a modest $18,400 ongoing general fund increase to support four additional arts and education grants in FY2026.

Director Laura Curry said the commission’s goals are to expand reach into communities across Idaho, support arts education and provide business training to artists. Curry noted the agency is funded primarily by the state general fund and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and that the commission also receives occasional donated funds—recently a Creative West donation that was matched by state and federal funds.

Curry highlighted the broader economic footprint of the arts in Idaho, saying the sector represents an estimated $2.7 billion in annual economic impact and supports roughly 22,000 jobs statewide. She told the committee commission grants are competitively awarded and often require a one‑to‑one match from recipients (schools or local nonprofits).

The commission reported personnel and operating expenses consume most of the appropriated budget and that dedicated fund balances for miscellaneous revenues are expected to decline; the commission said it will focus dedicated funds on smaller administrative costs while using general and federal funds for grant matching when available.

Ending: Director Curry thanked committee members and offered to provide county‑level breakdowns of grants and additional data on local economic impacts upon request.