With approximately 5.2 million Americans employed in the arts, the non-profit organization SmileHub today released new reports on the Best Charities for the Arts and the Best States for the Arts in 2025.
To highlight the states that provide the best environment for the arts and the ones that need to improve the most, SmileHub compared each of the 50 states based on 16 key metrics.
The data set ranges from the share of adults who create art to the average salary of fine artists to the quality of graduate art programs.
Best States |
Worst States |
|
| 1. New York | 41. Oklahoma | |
| 2. California | 42. South Carolina | |
| 3. Washington | 43. Nevada | |
| 4. Vermont | 44. Kansas | |
| 5. Oregon | 45. Idaho | |
| 6. Montana | 46. Kentucky | |
| 7. Massachusetts | 47. Arkansas | |
| 8. Colorado | 48. West Virginia | |
| 9. New Mexico | 49. Alabama | |
| 10. Utah | 50. Mississippi |
Key Stats
- New York has the most art charities per capita – 14.8 times higher than in New Hampshire, which has the fewest.
- Nevada has the highest average salary for fine artists adjusted for the cost of living – 2 times higher than in Hawaii, which has the lowest.
- California has the most artists per capita – 15.1 times more than in Hawaii, which has the fewest artists.
