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Federal Arts Funding Faces a Critical Test
July 1, 2025

Federal Arts Funding Faces a Critical Test

As Congress prepares for its July 4th recess, we are awaiting the release of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee’s draft fiscal year 2026 budget for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This will be the first official response to the President’s proposal to eliminate NEA funding entirely. Advocates will remember that similar proposals were…

Congress's Return Brings Major Fiscal Fights—and Challenges for Arts Funding
June 3, 2025

Congress's Return Brings Major Fiscal Fights—and Challenges for Arts Funding

After adjourning for the Memorial Day recess, Congress returned to Washington this week with an intense focus on advancing President Trump’s top legislative priority: a reconciliation package to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Failure to pass this legislation would result in tax increases for most Americans and businesses, a scenario Republicans are…

President's FY2026 Budget Cuts NEA
May 6, 2025

President's FY2026 Budget Cuts NEA

On Friday, the White House released the President Trump’s first fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. As many anticipated, it recommends eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), along with other cultural institutions. While the recommendation is disappointing, it is not binding. Under the Constitution, Congress—not the executive branch—holds the authority to set federal funding…

As Congress and the Administration Focus on Appropriations, Focus on Your Relationships
March 4, 2025

As Congress and the Administration Focus on Appropriations, Focus on Your Relationships

With the deadline for federal funding set to expire on March 14, Republicans and Democrats are working to find common ground that will allow a continuing resolution (CR) to pass. A CR is a temporary funding measure that keeps the government operating at current spending levels when a formal appropriations bill has not been enacted.…

As Administration Scrutinizes Funding, We Make the Case
February 4, 2025

As Administration Scrutinizes Funding, We Make the Case

On January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Almost immediately afterward, the President lived up to his promise to be bold and active. Within a week of taking office, the administration’s Office of Management and Budget released a memorandum that paused funding programs from all federal agencies,…

Preparing for Transition: Advocacy for the Arts in a New Washington
January 7, 2025

Preparing for Transition: Advocacy for the Arts in a New Washington

With less than two weeks before President-elect Trump is sworn in for his second term on January 20, the new Congress has arrived in Washington to take their oaths and begin governing. This Congress and the incoming administration face a packed agenda. Chief among their tasks is negotiating a full funding bill for fiscal year…

Bipartisan Arts Support in Congress
December 3, 2024

Bipartisan Arts Support in Congress

Last month, the Republican Party and President Donald Trump won a sweeping victory in the 2024 elections. President Trump was elected to a second term, while Republicans were able to win control of the Senate while maintaining a slim majority in the House of Representatives. The result means that, for the first time since December…

Congress Keeps Government Open, But Arts Funding Remains in the Balance
October 1, 2024

Congress Keeps Government Open, But Arts Funding Remains in the Balance

Last week, Congress reached a bipartisan agreement to avoid a government shutdown, keeping the government funded until December 20 through a continuing resolution. This means that all government agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will continue operating at their current funding levels for the time being. However, for arts advocates, the real…

Despite Likely CR, Encourage NEA Support in Congress
September 3, 2024

Despite Likely CR, Encourage NEA Support in Congress

As Congress returns to session this week after a month-long recess, they face an important deadline: the end of the fiscal year on September 30. With limited time to finalize a full appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025, it’s likely that they will opt for a continuing resolution, extending government funding until after the November…

Urge Senate Support for FY2025 Arts Funding
July 2, 2024

Urge Senate Support for FY2025 Arts Funding

The U.S. Congress is out of session this week for the July 4th holiday. Before members left town, we saw a flurry of activity related to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Specifically, the long-awaited fiscal year 2025 funding proposal from the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee was released, calling for the NEA’s appropriation…

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