Facts

The main issue with the arts is how much they should be funded by the feds. Occasional disagreements about what kind of art the government should be funding also come up; we'll look at those as they arise. For now, just some funding basics.

Funding

How much government money is put towards the arts:

• Estimated total: $3.4 billion (added from numbers below);

• Federal government:
  • from the NEA: $124 million (AFTA - pdf);
• States: $328 million (AFTA - pdf);
• Local governments: over $778 million (AFTA - pdf);

How much private money is put towards the arts:

• $14 billion (AFTA - pdf)

Where the facts are from:

• Americans for the Arts - nonprofit dedicated to advancing the arts

• NASAA - National Assembly of State Arts Agencies - organization that "unites, represents and serves" state and local arts agencies

Also see The Foundation Center and The National Endowment for the Arts.

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