Arts funding in the United States is distributed through a multi-tiered system involving national, regional, and local agencies.
At the federal level, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) serves as the primary funding body, awarding grants to state and regional arts organizations, as well as directly to non-profits and individual artists. These funds are then further distributed by Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs), which design and manage programs tailored to the unique needs of their geographic areas. In Illinois, the RAO is Arts Midwest. At the community level, Local Arts Agencies (LAAs)—which may be governmental or non-profit entities—support arts and culture initiatives. In Illinois there are 80+ LAAs, visit Illinois Arts Council for more information. The Local Arts Network (LAN) is an initiative to build capacity and excellence amongst Local Arts Agencies so they can better serve their communities and to provide opportunities for validation and support. The LAN is open to leaders from Local Arts Agencies across Illinois.
In the past five years alone, the NEA has distributed $27,177,676 in federal funding directly or through state and regional partners in Illinois. 40% of the NEA’s budget goes directly to state arts agencies, which includes the Illinois Arts Council (IAC).