Grantmakers in the Arts’ Response to Alaska Arts Council Funding Veto

Grantmakers in the Arts is the membership association of over 300 foundations, public agencies, and nonprofits from across the nation that are united in their support for the arts as a reflection of their belief that arts and culture are what make us fully human.

Grantmakers in the Arts stands in support of Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) and encourages the state legislature and Governor’s office to restore the agency at prior funding levels in FY 2021.

ASCA’s support for the artistic and cultural lives of the diverse peoples of Alaska has been a model of cross-sector partnership with the state’s budget allocation of over $600,000 a year dwarfed by the federal and private philanthropy contributions of $2.8M. That $2.8M is an expression of how the federal government and private foundations value the work of ASCA and artistic and cultural output of the Alaskan people. This state spending cut of over $600,000 will require that these contributions of $2.8M will need to be returned. To be more pointed, the state – in an effort to save over $600,000 – has cost the state $2.8M.

Grantmakers in the Arts encourages the Alaska state legislature and Governor’s office to join the federal government and the philanthropic foundations in expressing their valuing of the rich artistic cultural offerings of the Alaskan people. Grantmakers in the Arts furthermore encourages the Alaska state legislature and Governor’s office to ensure that the millions of dollars that the federal government and private foundations have seen fit to give to ASCA are taken advantage of in the manner they were intended – to create opportunities for the Alaskan people to express their full humanity through their artistic and cultural expression.