Missouri’s arts funding improves ranking

The ranking is among all 50 states and six territories and is based on total arts funding per capita.

Missouri’s $8 million in funding to the Missouri Arts Council in the fiscal 2008 budget bumped the state back to No. 14 on the list – a spot it held in 2001, before it began sliding dramatically and hit No. 56 in 2004. Since then, the state has risen through the ranks each year.

“The arts encourage knowledge-based learning and attract knowledge-based workers,” said Gov. Matt Blunt, who took office in 2004, in a news release. “Whatever the medium, the genre (or) the presentation, the arts enrich the lives of all Missourians, and they can be proud that our state is again among the top supporters of the arts.”

In his fiscal 2009 budget, Blunt has recommended $14.6 million to the Missouri Arts Council – the largest appropriation to the Missouri Cultural Trust Fund in state history, according to the release. He also is recommending a $4.5 million increase for other Nonresident Athletes and Entertainers Tax cultural partners, including the Humanities Council, Public Broadcasting, Historic Preservation and State Library Networking.