What IS Happening with the National Endowment for the Arts
By now you've most likely heard the news that President Donald Trump has proposed to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), cutting millions of dollars that bring the arts to all states and all communities, even here in Nebraska.
Although this news is disappointing, we are nowhere near the end of the road for the NEA or public support of the arts. Because of this, it is more important now than ever to learn the facts. Consider the following:
The President’s budget request is just that—a request. Congress ultimately holds the constitutional authority to fund the NEA and the rest of the federal government.
Within Congress, the NEA has bipartisan support. Just last year, both the U.S. House and Senate proposed increases in NEA funding. The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) reports that Representative Ken Calvert, a Republican from Southern California who chairs the subcommittee that hears the NEA budget, recently remarked to a Democratic NEA supporter, “As you know there’s always been bipartisan support for these programs, and I suspect that there will be in the future, too.”
In Nebraska, the Nebraska Arts Council has traditionally received strong support from our governors and state legislature. Nebraska is now in a revenue downturn, but neither Governor Pete Ricketts nor the Unicameral is asking the Nebraska Arts Council to sustain budget cuts any greater than other state agencies. Your letters of thanks over the years is a big reason why this is so.
With these facts in mind, here is what you can do to help ensure this bipartisan support in Congress for the NEA remains strong.
Attend an Arts Advocacy Day event next Tuesday, March 21. Nebraskans for the Arts will setup everything you need to contact our Nebraska delegation in Congress.
Continue to equip yourself with the facts. The easiest thing to remember is if the NEA is eliminated your Nebraska Arts Council grant will be cut by 40%. There will no longer be an artist fellowship program and staff support from us to you will be limited. Think about what that means for you, your organization, your school and your participants and tell that story to our U.S. senators and representatives. Our partners at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies has put together a number of Free Advocacy Tools that can also be of help.
On behalf of the entire staff and board of the Nebraska Arts Council, please know that we are doing all we can to keep our federal funding from the NEA, but we can’t do it alone. Please make your voices heard.
Thank you.
Suzanne WiseExecutive Director
Nebraska Arts Council
About the Nebraska Arts Council
The Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), a state agency, provides numerous grants, services and special initiatives that help sustain and promote the arts throughout Nebraska. NAC is supported by the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Nebraska Legislature and National Endowment for the Arts.
