‘Very relieved.' How a Charlotte arts group got its NEA funding cuts restored

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Editor's note: This story was updated Aug. 1, 2025, to reflect the appeals status of two other arts groups
A Charlotte arts group managed to regain the funding it lost this spring when the National Endowment for the Arts revealed sweeping cuts to organizations in the Carolinas and across the country.
Through a complicated process, Three Bone Theatre received the remaining $13,000 from its three-year, $20,000 grant to help put on a trilogy of plays that retell classic Greek tragedies from a modern Latino and Chicano perspective. The group already had spent approximately $7,000 of the grant when the cuts came down.
'We're very relieved,' Three Bone artistic and operations director Robin Tynes-Miller said Wednesday. 'It's a good short-term win, and we'll take it.'
In May, President Donald Trump said he wanted to eliminate the NEA. At about the same time, the NEA was telling arts groups around the country that their grants were being revoked.
Across the Carolinas, at least $800,000 was rescinded by the NEA, according to arts advocacy groups in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Local organizations of all sizes have counted on that money to assist with programming and related expenses. In May, a Charlotte Observer analysis of federal data found that since the 1998 fiscal year, the NEA provided 1,407 grants in the Carolinas worth nearly $84 million to more than 370 organizations.
At least three other arts groups acknowledged losing NEA funding during that time: Charlotte Ballet, McColl Center for the Arts and JazzArts Charlotte. The ballet said it did not appeal, while JazzArts is still waiting to hear about its appeal status .It was not immediately of the McColl's status.
JazzArt's $20,000 NEA grant was intended to support this fiscal year's jazz concert series. The organization quickly appealed the loss, but still has not received a response about its status, JazzArts President and CEO Lonnie Davis said.
Without that funding, it becomes more challenging to cover expenses and maintain program quality. 'It means we need to get creative for alternative funding options,' Davis said, 'including individual supporters and community partners.'
Three Bone's work
The original $20,000 grant — the first NEA awarded to Three Bone — was to support a three-year project. During that time, Three Bone would produce 'The Greek Trilogy,' by MacArthur 'Genius Grant' winner Luis Alfaro. Three Bone is the first theater to commit to doing all three stories.
The company already had staged the first play, 'Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles,' and was preparing for the second one this summer, 'Electricidad,' when it got word of the loss of funds. At the time, Tynes-Miller called the news 'heart-breaking' but vowed that the other two shows would go on.
Three Bone had committed to investing over $100,000 on the trilogy. The federal funds were part of that sum.
Meanwhile, there was an outpouring of community support after news broke of the loss of funds. Between May and June, over $10,000 more in donations came in than the same period last year, Tynes-Miller said. Although the company was not able to determine how much was directly due to the cuts, Tynes-Miller said she was grateful for all the support.
Resolving NEA funding issues
So how exactly did Three Bone get its funding restored?
Tynes-Miller said Three Bone took a dual approach to trying to obtain the remaining $13,000 of the grant. On May 8, the organization filed a formal appeal to the NEA to reconsider the termination of the grant.
And separately in mid-June, 'Three Bone submitted a final funding request for the outstanding portion of the grant and provided documentation showing it had already spent more than $40,000 on the trilogy project, Tynes-Miller said. The grant termination letter had allowed for groups to submit one final expense by a date in June.
'It was incredibly complicated,' Tynes-Miller said, and had no idea if it would work.
But she thought it might have helped that Three Bone was in the middle of a multiyear project with two more years left on the grant. What's more, the group already had spent a substantial amount on the work.
And when the theater company got the good news a couple weeks ago that the remaining expenses had been approved, Tynes-Miller felt a wave of relief. She praised her staff and board for their work and support.
Tynes-Miller said she had heard of a few other groups nationally that received the remainder of their funds through final expense report submissions, but was unaware if any appeals had been successful.
What's next for Three Bone
Next up for Three Bone is the second play in Alfaro's trilogy, 'Electricidad,' in its North Carolina premiere. Alfaro moves Sophocles' tale of 'Electra' to the Los Angeles barrios for a story of violence, loss and redemption
It runs from Aug. 15-31 at The Arts Factory at West End Studios, 1545 W. Trade St., Charlotte. Go to threebonetheatre.com for ticket and additional information.
The final play in the cycle, 'Oedipus del Rey,' is set for May 2026.
Meanwhile, Three Bone is asking people to remain vocal about supporting funding for the arts and remain in touch with their elected representatives.
'This (threat to funding) will continue to impact organizations for a very, very long time,' Tynes-Miller said. 'The more we can protect institutions like the NEA the healthier our cultural ecosystem will be.
'It's just been a roller coaster,' she added.
Reporter Catherine Muccigrosso contributed to this report
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