President Biden Signs Historic Arts Budget

On Thursday, December 29th President Joe Biden signed the Consolidated Spending Act of 2023 into law, a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package for FY23 that includes $207 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) which is a $27 million increase for each. This historic funding is in large part thanks to the thousands of advocates from North Carolina and across the country working together to speak up for the arts.

Additionally, the Institute of Museum and Library Services was allocated a $26.8 million increase and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will receive a $10 million increase. The US Department of Education was appropriated $1.3 billion in Title-IV funding (an increase of $100 million) which can be used for well-rounded education programs which include the arts, while the Arts in Education program was funded at $36.5 million which is the same as its FY22 allocation.  

For the first time the Department of Defense will receive a $10 million allocation to support creative art therapy programs and an additional $5 million will go to the Department of Veterans Affairs for its Whole Health initiative, which includes the arts. The bill also includes Congressionally directed funding to 68 arts organizations totaling $66 million for special projects, otherwise known as earmarks.  

The Consolidated Spending Act of 2023 also includes a version of the Legacy IRA Act, which allows seniors to donate tax-free from their IRA accounts.  The maximum allowed has been $100,000 since the IRA Rollover was approved 15 years ago and now that amount will be indexed to inflation, beginning in 2023.  It also allows a one-time-only gift of up to $50,000 to a charitable remainder trust or annuity.   

Arts North Carolina would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the advocates across the state that helped make this possible and wish the entire statewide creative community a very happy new year.