Virginia Law

Article 7. Virginia Commission for the Arts.

A. The Virginia Commission for the Arts (the Commission) is established as a supervisory commission within the meaning of § 2.2-2100 in the executive branch of state government.

B. The Commission is designated the official agency of the Commonwealth to receive and disburse any funds made available to the Commonwealth by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Fund pursuant to § 23.1-3227.

C. The Commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. No member of the General Assembly is eligible for appointment as a member of the Commission. At least one member shall be appointed from each of the eight superintendent's regions.

D. Members shall be appointed for one term of five years; however, a member appointed to serve an unexpired term is eligible to serve a full five-year term immediately succeeding the unexpired term. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. No member who serves a full five-year term is eligible for reappointment during the five-year period following the expiration of his term.

E. The Commission shall elect a chairman from among its membership.

F. A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.

G. The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825.

H. Any person designated by the board to handle the funds of the Commission shall give bond, with corporate surety, in a penalty fixed by the Governor, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duties. Any premium on the bond shall be paid from funds available to the Commission.

2016, c. 588; 2022, c. 437; 2024, cc. 208, 248.

A. The Commission shall:

1. Stimulate and encourage throughout the Commonwealth growth in artistic quality and excellence, public interest and participation in the arts, and access to high-quality and affordable literary, visual, and performing arts for all Virginians;

2. Make recommendations concerning appropriate methods to encourage economic viability, an intellectually stimulating environment for artists, and participation in and appreciation of the arts to meet the legitimate needs and aspirations of persons in all parts of the Commonwealth;

3. Promote the development and implementation of a planned, sequential, and comprehensive program of arts education, taught by licensed teachers endorsed in arts education, in the public elementary and secondary schools of the Commonwealth;

4. Provide supplemental learning opportunities to the public school arts education curriculum;

5. Encourage the development of a network of professional arts organizations, the media, and arts promoters for the production of classical and new works of art and diversity in artistic expressions in media including the literary, visual, and performing arts;

6. Provide funding for and technical assistance to artists, recognized nonprofit arts organizations, and arts organizations and activities that celebrate and preserve the various cultures represented among the citizens of the Commonwealth;

7. Encourage and support the creation of new works of art, arts organizations whose primary objective is to increase public access to the arts, particularly in underserved areas, and performing arts tours to increase the availability of this form of artistic expression throughout the Commonwealth;

8. Establish a program of financial assistance to provide scholarships, grants, and other awards to artists who demonstrate exceptional ability and talent;

9. Establish an advisory panel composed of artists, arts administrators, and citizens to advise the Commission concerning fiscal matters;

10. Encourage arts organizations to dedicate to their endowments at least $1 of the price of each adult admission to performances or exhibitions or at least one percent of moneys collected in fund campaigns;

11. Encourage arts organizations to develop and implement endowment enlargement plans that yield enough income to underwrite one-third of the organizations' annual operating costs;

12. Apply to and enter into contracts and agreements with the United States or any appropriate agency or officer of the United States for participation in or receipt of funding from any federal program respecting the arts;

13. Provide incentives to local governing bodies to encourage public support and funding of the arts;

14. Accept, hold, and administer gifts, contributions, and bequests of money or any other thing to be used for carrying out the purposes of this article;

15. Develop specific procedures for the administration and implementation of a grantmaking program, so long as any such program is for the benefit of a nonprofit organization qualifying as a § 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and prepare written guidelines to govern such program;

16. Administer any funds available to the Commission and disburse such funds in accordance with the purposes of this article;

17. Make expenditures from the Fund's interest and income to promote the arts in the Commonwealth in accordance with § 23.1-3228 and assist nonprofit arts and cultural institutions and organizations in the Commonwealth to assess, enhance, and plan for enhancement of their fiscal stability, financial management and control capabilities, and capacity to raise funds for the furtherance of their respective missions from nongovernmental sources;

18. Enter into contracts and execute all instruments necessary and appropriate to carry out the Commission's purposes;

19. Explore and make recommendations concerning other possible dedicated revenue sources for the Fund; and

20. Perform any lawful acts necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Commission.

B. Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect the statutory purposes of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

2016, c. 588; 2022, c. 437.

The Governor may appoint a director of the Commission, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The director may employ the personnel required to assist the Commission in the exercise and performance of its powers and duties. The director shall supervise and manage such personnel and shall prepare, approve, and submit all requests for appropriations and be responsible for all expenditures pursuant to appropriations.

2016, c. 588.

Repealed by Acts 2022, c. 437, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 2022, c. 437, cl. 2.

A. There is created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Commission for the Arts Fund, referred to in this article as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller.

B. The Fund shall include such funds as may be appropriated by the General Assembly; revenues transferred to the Fund from the special license plates for Virginians for the Arts program pursuant to § 46.2-749.2:2; voluntary contributions collected through the income tax checkoff for the arts pursuant to subdivision B 8 of § 58.1-344.3; and designated gifts, contributions, and bequests of money, securities, or property of any other character.

C. All money, securities, or other property designated for the Fund shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by persons authorized by the Commission. The Fund's principal is not subject to expenditure by the Commission.

2016, c. 588; 2022, c. 437.

Gifts and bequests of money, securities, or other property to the Fund, and the interest or income from such gifts and bequests, are gifts to the Commonwealth, and the Fund is exempt from all state and local taxes. Unless otherwise restricted by the terms of the gift or bequest, the Commission may sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of such gifts and bequests. The proceeds from such transactions shall be deposited to the credit of the Fund. The Commission shall not actively solicit private donations for the Fund; however, this limitation shall not prevent the Commission from actively encouraging financial support for the Commission through the special license plate and income tax checkoff programs. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Commission may accept and solicit public and private contributions for the limited purpose of assisting nonprofit arts and cultural institutions and organizations in the Commonwealth to enhance the fiscal stability, financial management, and fundraising abilities of such organizations.

2016, c. 588; 2022, c. 437.