With the state budget now finalized, the Arizona Commission on the Arts says it can continue to support artists and creative organizations. The commission helped hundreds of groups in fiscal 2025.
For a second year in a row, the budget gives a one-time allocation of $2 million to the commission. But there have been decreasing appropriations over the years.
Steve Wilcox is with the commission and says it’s frustrating that funding is considered a one-time allocation, rather than a line item on the state budget.
“It really does leave us right up to the last minute uncertain of what our funding environment is going to be like for the next fiscal year," Wilcox said.
He says it also wasn’t clear until the last moment if the group would be funded at all, let alone for how much.
"The House budget did not include any appropriation for the arts. The budget that was ultimately passed by the Senate and negotiated with the governor's office [also] did not initially have an allocation for the arts commission," Wilcox said.
Earlier this year, the governor's proposed budget would have restored the commission to the general fund. Though it wasn’t supported.
Using a similar budget last fiscal year, the commission funded grant programs that went on to support more than 550 arts related organizations and events statewide.
