HB1320

My tax dollars go to so many things that I actively oppose and do not support. Art is incredibly important to me and support of the arts is part of what grows a healthy, functional society. The most prosperous times in history are times when art was supported and patronized. Art improves the quality of life for all of us. I support anything that we can do to reconnect with our relationship to art and funding it.

The White Mountains Attractions Association is a destination marketing organization representing over 300 tourism businesses and communities across the White Mountains region, one of the state’s most important tourism and economic drivers. We appreciate the intent behind this bill and strongly support it as a constructive step that will strengthen New Hampshire’s tourism economy and support the small businesses and communities that rely on it.

I encourage the establishment of a committee to analyze funding sources for the NH State Council on the Arts. NH arts organizations rely on funding from the Council, and it benefits state residents and visitors to fund the Council again.

I am a co-sponsor of HB 1320, which establishes a focused study committee to review past, present, and potential future funding sources for the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Arts and culture are not abstract concepts in New Hampshire. They are a real driver of visitation and economic activity. Festivals, galleries, performances, historic sites, and public art contribute directly to why people choose to visit our communities, stay overnight, dine locally, and return in future seasons. Cultural offerings complement our natural assets and help extend tourism beyond peak summer and foliage months, particularly in downtowns and rural communities. At the same time, the state has a responsibility to be thoughtful and disciplined about how public dollars are used. HB 1320 does not assume that more funding is the answer, nor does it lock the state into any specific approach. Instead, it creates a process to evaluate how arts-related funding has historically supported tourism and community vitality, how it functions today, and what options—public, private, or blended—may be appropriate in the future. This bill recognizes that a strong cultural identity helps differentiate New Hampshire as a destination. Visitors are not only drawn to scenery, but to places that feel alive, creative, and distinct. Understanding how arts funding intersects with tourism, economic development, and community life is essential before policymakers make long-term decisions. The study committee is small, temporary, and low-cost, with a clear reporting deadline. Its purpose is due diligence: gathering facts so future policy choices are informed, measured, and grounded in real outcomes. HB 1320 is about understanding value, not presuming it. It gives legislators and the public the information needed to make responsible decisions about how the arts contribute to New Hampshire’s economy and cultural character. I respectfully ask the committee to support the bill.