The Creative Workforce Investment Act creates a new federal grant program to fund arts and creative projects that employ people in local communities. The Department of Labor, working with the National Endowment for the Arts, will award competitive grants to organizations, nonprofits, schools, and local workforce agencies to create public art programs and employ creative workers—including artists, writers, musicians, dancers, designers, and behind-the-scenes arts staff.

The grants can fund a wide variety of community-focused creative projects: outdoor concerts and art festivals, public murals and sculptures, documentaries and storytelling projects that highlight overlooked histories, theater and dance performances, poetry and writing workshops, and arts education programs in schools. Organizations receiving grants must use the money to pay workers' wages and ensure their art is accessible to the public. The bill specifically aims to help people facing employment barriers get jobs in the creative sector.

To receive funding, organizations must promise not to outsource jobs overseas, must respect union agreements, and must follow federal wage and safety standards. The bill sets aside $300 million for these programs over three years (2024-2026) and requires the Labor Department to report annually on how many people got jobs through these programs and whether they stayed employed afterward. Artists who create work through these funded programs keep ownership of their creations, though the government can use the work for public purposes.