Arts and culture organizations exist to foster the growth and promotion of artistic expression and cultural preservation. The expansive umbrella of arts and culture charities includes many different types of nonprofits for various sectors of the arts such as performing arts, visual arts, libraries, museums, and cultural institutions (Arts and Culture Charities). Following the end of World War II, a surging appreciation for the arts and cultural sector of philanthropy lead to increased funding from nonprofit organizations, allowing arts and culture to expand to include 55,000 museums around the world, 41 theaters on Broadway, and many local arts organizations and arts education community centers (Arts and Culture Philanthropy).

Recently, many individuals have argued that the arts and cultural sector of philanthropy should be funded less than other sectors of philanthropy that support more immediate social needs, such as hunger or education. The 2007-2009 Great Recession caused a considerable cut to arts funding, reflecting the trivialization of the arts and their funding (Middleton).  Additionally, the roles of the arts in K-12 education are waning almost to the point of disappearance. As more and more donors question the relevance of the arts, arts philanthropy has struggled to continue. In fact, out of the total nonprofit funds, the arts account for a minute portion of funds according to arts philanthropy researcher Steven Lawrence (Arts and Culture Philanthropy).

Over the course of this chapter, we will outline an argument for the importance of arts and culture philanthropy based on specific benefits. These include the cultural and societal benefits (1), educational benefits (2&3), benefits for social infrastructure and the community (4), and economic benefits (5). Before our concluding page (7) and reference page (8), we will provide a rebuttal to the common arguments critics make against the importance of arts philanthropy (6).