Federal Arts Support Is Built on Strong Relationships

With the President’s State of the Union address now behind us, Washington has entered the early stages of the federal budget process for fiscal year 2027. The administration has not yet transmitted its formal budget request to Congress, but we can reasonably expect one element of the proposal to look familiar. As in previous years, the President’s budget is likely to recommend defunding or eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

For those who have followed federal arts policy over the past several years, this will not come as a surprise. In each budget cycle during this administration, the Office of Management and Budget has included a similar recommendation. And each year, Congress has taken a different view.

The appropriations process that concluded last year offered an important reminder of just how deeply the NEA and the work of state arts agencies are valued on Capitol Hill. The FY2026 budget cycle unfolded under some of the most intense pressure to reduce federal spending in recent memory. Yet even in that environment, lawmakers chose to maintain level funding for the arts endowment. Just as importantly, Congress once again reaffirmed its support for the federal-state partnership, recognizing the essential role that state and jurisdictional arts agencies play in ensuring federal arts funding reaches communities in every corner of the country.

For those of us who work in and around the arts ecosystem, this support should not be taken for granted. It reflects years—indeed decades—of steady engagement between state arts agencies and their elected officials. Members of Congress hear directly from arts leaders in their states about how federal funding supports local artists, strengthens cultural institutions, fuels economic activity and brings people together in communities large and small.

As the FY2027 budget cycle begins, this moment provides a natural opportunity to reconnect with your congressional offices. Reaching out now serves two important purposes.

First, it allows you to express appreciation. A simple note thanking your senators and representatives for maintaining funding for the NEA in the FY2026 budget—and for their continued support of the federal-state partnership—goes a long way. Congressional offices rarely hear gratitude in the midst of difficult budget negotiations, and those acknowledgments are remembered.
Second, it provides a chance to share what has been happening in your state. Congressional staff benefit enormously from hearing about recent programs, partnerships and initiatives taking place through your agency. These updates give staff the concrete examples they rely on when explaining the value of federal arts funding to their bosses and colleagues behind the scenes. See NASAA’s Advocacy Tools for tips and tactics.

As many of you know all too well from your work at the state level, many of the most important conversations about federal funding happen long before votes are cast. They take place in meetings and briefings where congressional staff are trying to understand how programs affect the communities their members represent. The stories and information you provide help shape those conversations in meaningful ways.

In Washington, timing matters. With the FY2027 budget process now underway, this is an especially constructive moment to reconnect with your delegation. And as last year’s outcome demonstrated, that engagement matters.