The Arts Commission advances and supports arts and culture in Washington State through leadership, knowledge, funding, and resources that build participation in and access to the arts. Washington residents and visitors have expanded opportunities to participate in the arts as a result of the agency's investment in arts activities, artists, and targeted initiatives throughout the state. Funding and services are focused to strengthen local communities and to provide arts opportunities for the public, including geographically remote, economically disadvantaged, disabled, and ethnic communities.

The Arts Commission invests in a range of public and nonprofit arts organizations through competitive grant funding to increase access to the arts and strengthen arts organizations across the state. State funding leverages additional public and private funds from local, state, and federal sources, and reduces admission prices. Arts Commission grants require organizations to demonstrate accountability, and to document and evaluate the results of state investments.

Public art enhances state buildings and spaces, and encourages community dialogue and participation. The Arts Commission's Art in Public Places program has a mandated responsibility (RCW 43.46.090) to acquire and place artwork in publicly accessible places throughout Washington State. The State Art Collection includes 4,600 artworks acquired since 1974. Acquisition, stewardship, conservation, and education efforts are focused on preserving the state's investment, minimizing future maintenance needs, and ensuring the quality of the collection for future generations to experience.

The agency invests in learning in, through, and about the arts for children, youth, and adults. The Arts Commission supports high quality and effective arts education programs for all K-12 students across the state through community-based arts learning partnerships. The arts improve student achievement and contribute to increased attendance, student leadership, and graduation rates. Arts education helps students develop 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, creative problem solving, collaborative learning, interpersonal communication, and cultural awareness. Through Arts Commission investments, teachers and teaching artists receive training in the Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) in the Arts; they also learn to integrate the arts into other subject areas, and to improve student assessment techniques. The agency also invests in arts learning opportunities for adults including professional development for artists and arts leaders, workshops, convenings, and folk arts apprenticeships.