Commission on the Arts highlights $880,000 in grants, asks for $18,400 to expand arts education grants

Laura Curry, director of the Idaho Commission on the Arts, updated the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on the commission’s budget and grant activity and requested a small ongoing general-fund increase for arts education grants.

Kellen McGurkin, Legislative Services analyst, summarized the commission’s finances: the agency is funded by the state general fund and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) federal grants, supplemented by occasional donations. The commission distributes grants primarily to K–12 schools and nonprofit arts organizations; in FY2024 it awarded 215 grants serving 38 counties. McGurkin noted the commission’s misc revenue fund is small and irregular and that Creative West provided a donation that was matched with federal and state funds in recent years.

Director Curry said the arts sector contributes about $2.7 billion annually to Idaho’s economy and supports roughly 22,000 jobs. She told the committee the commission distributed about $880,000 in grants last year and aims to reach every region of the state. Curry asked for an FY2026 ongoing general-fund appropriation of $18,400 to provide four additional arts-and-education grants and to expand competitive grants that require a one-to-one match from awardees.

Committee members praised the commission’s statewide reach and noted educational and economic benefits from the grants, from local festivals to school programs. Curry said the agency also provides business training for artists and recognizes excellence through governor’s awards and other programs.

Committee staff and the commission said supplemental materials and grant breakdowns are available on the committee’s SharePoint site and that the commission will continue to monitor its dedicated fund balances and federal match activity.