New Hampshire State Council on the Arts
# New Hampshire State Council on the Arts

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts is a government agency of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Ginnie Lupi is the agency's director, while Sarah Stewart is commissioner of the parent agency, the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). The main office of the agency is located in Concord.

## History

New Hampshire formed a State Arts Council, the state's first arts agency, on June 28, 1965. The council is authorized via RSA 19-A, "to insure that the role of the arts in the life of our communities will continue to grow and will play an ever more significant part in the welfare and educational experience of our citizens."

## Function

The mission of the council is "to promote the arts to protect and enrich New Hampshire's unique quality of life." The council works in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. There is a 15-member advisory council, appointed by the Governor of New Hampshire.

The three main goals of the agency $are:^{:5–6}$

    1) Engage the arts to benefit people and communities throughout New Hampshire.
    2) Strengthen New Hampshire's artists and arts organizations.
    3) Expand opportunities to learn in and through the arts.

The council awards grants to "serve as a public investment in communities throughout the state." In fiscal year 2018, the council awarded 103 grants, funding 68 through state funds and 35 through federal funds, totaling $555,730.

The council also provides recommendation to the Governor and Executive Council for the state's honorary artist laureate position.

