President Biden Proposes NEA Funding Increase for FY2023

After signing the fiscal year 2022 budget into law in early March, President Biden and his administration wasted no time turning their attention to the FY2023 budget, releasing their proposal to Congress last week. The quick turnaround was necessary because delays in passing the previous budget had set the timetable for this budget significantly behind schedule. Even with the quick rollout, Congress will have to work at a fast pace if it has any hopes of finishing its work before the current fiscal year ends on September 30.

In his request to Congress, the President proposes increasing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by $23 million, to $203.55 million. The administration touts the important role of state arts agencies throughout the document. Also of note, the document proposes an increase of $6 million for the U.S. Department of Education’s Assistance for Arts Education Program, to $36.5 million.

With the administration’s proposal now released, the House and Senate appropriations committees will prepare their FY2023 appropriations bills. The Subcommittee for Interior, Environment and Related Agencies has purview over the NEA’s budget recommendation in both chambers.

As Congress begins this process, I would encourage you to contact your U.S. senators and representatives in support of the President’s proposal. In doing so, consider making the following points:

Thank Congress for supporting an increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, on a bipartisan basis, to $180 million this fiscal year (from $167.5 million), as well as for their continued support for the federal-state partnership that allocates 40% of all grant funding to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations.
Urge Congress to endorse the $203.55 million request for the NEA for FY2023.
Remind them that public funding for the arts and creativity is a high-return investment that strengthens every city, town and rural community nationwide.
Take the opportunity to share an update about your agency and how this increase in funding would allow your work to thrive.

This is an exciting moment for all of us arts advocates. However, we cannot take this recommended funding level for granted. The President’s budget request is not a binding document, and Congress will likely face extraordinary budget pressure, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the war in Ukraine also requires financial support from the United States. As such, it is vital that members of Congress and their staff hear from all of us that funding for the arts is a priority.