Government funding of arts and culture plays a large role in bridging significant funding gaps between rural and urban areas. While the most recent “Giving USA 2018 Report” suggests that some foundations are increasing their focus on rural development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture report found that only 5.5 percent of large foundation grant dollars go to rural areas. In contrast, 30 percent of Utah Arts & Museums General Operating Support grants have gone to rural counties, and according to data from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, 25 percent of Utah’s population lives in 25 rural counties.
More can be found in Grantmakers in the Arts’ “GIA Reader: Arts Funding Snapshot: GIA’s Annual Research on Support for Arts and Culture.”