SF861

Senate File No. 861 is a legislative proposal in Minnesota that aims to provide financial support to county fairs to enhance arts access, education, and to preserve and promote the state’s history and cultural heritage. Specifically, the bill allocates a total of $1,000,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund, divided equally over two fiscal years—$500,000 each for 2026 and 2027. This money will be distributed equally across all 95 county fairs in Minnesota, in addition to any existing aid they receive. The bill tasks the commissioner of agriculture with creating criteria and guidelines for how the grants should be used, and emphasizes the importance of gathering input from various stakeholders in developing these guidelines.