National Endowment for the Arts Withdraws Major Grants

Hundreds of arts groups will lose funding, despite the NEA's funding representing just 0.003% of the total federal budget

A wide range of arts organizations have had major grant funding withdrawn, following President Trump's proposal that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) be eliminated in his next budget.

Groups that have had funding withdrawn include the Chicago Symphony, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Central Park Summer Stage in New York City, and the Chicago-area arts education nonprofit Open Studio Project, among many others.

According to NPR, hundreds of arts groups across the country, of all sizes, received emails on the evening of Friday, May 2, informing them that the grants upon which they rely would be terminated. The emails, which were sent from a generic government address, arrived just hours after Trump's announcement.

The New York Times reported that in these emails, the NEA claimed it was "updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the president" and that "consequently, [the NEA will be] terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities."

The same email claimed that projects that "elevate" historically Black colleges and universities, and colleges that serve Hispanic students, would be prioritized, as would those that focus on the 250th anniversary of American independence, artificial intelligence, houses of worship, and the military and veterans, among other topics.

Trump's proposed budget also threatens services such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Service.

Founded by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded $5.5 billion in grants since that time. While it is the largest single source of arts funding in America, it is also one of the smallest federal agencies — and a 2022 NEA document shows that the funding it dispenses comprises just 0.003% of the country's annual federal budget.

"We typically receive $80,000 total per fiscal year in grants from the NEA; already a very small sum compared to the type of federal funding orchestral institutions receive in other G7 or even G20 countries," wrote Jeff Alexander, President of the Chicago Symphony. "It is not crystal clear we will lose 100% of these funds as one of our projects for the current fiscal year has already been completed, and one of our projects for next fiscal year actually does fall into the fascinating new criteria published last night by the NEA."

"There is a chance though, the entire amount of funding will be lost. I write today so you are aware of the situation in the event you are asked by friends or neighbors if the CSOA has been affected. The answer is yes, but to what degree is still to be determined. Whatever transpires, we will persevere!"