Latest news with #ComeandGone
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arts agency terminates dozens of grants after Trump proposes eliminating NEA
Dozens of US arts organizations have been notified that offers of government grants have been terminated, hours after Donald Trump proposed eliminating federal agencies that support arts, humanities and learning. The cancellation of grant offers were reported from organizations across the US, including a $25,000 offer to a playhouse in Portland, Oregon, hours before the opening of a new production, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. On Friday, Trump proposed eliminating several learning and arts-orientated agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as part of the administration's 2026 discretionary budget request that is in essence a White House wish-list. The federal agencies were listed under 'small agency eliminations' and their cancellations, the document said were 'consistent with the president's efforts to decrease the size of the federal government to enhance accountability, reduce waste, and reduce unnecessary governmental entities'. The proposed eliminations come after both the NEH and NEA moved to cut costs and staffing in compliance with earlier directives to reduce the federal workforce and shut down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. An email sent out to arts organization administrators late on Friday said the NEA was updating its grant making policy priorities to focus funding on projects that 'reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the president.' NPR reported that the email was sent from a generic ' address. The email also said, according to numerous US media reports, that the endowment would favor projects that 'elevate' historically Black colleges and universities, and colleges that serve Hispanic students. It said it would also focus on projects that: 'celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster A.I. competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.' However, numerous media reports showed that the cuts would hit at projects that included those aimed at communities of color. The proposed budget plan also includes cuts in support to public broadcasters and conforms to efforts by the president during his first term to see government support of the arts and humanities endowments eliminated. Democrats politicians and arts unions said the cuts would be disastrous to public access to creative expression. 'The NEA is essential to our livelihoods and our democracy,' The American Federation of Musicians posted on X. 'Without it, communities across the country, both rural and urban, will lack access to arts participation.' The proposals provoked a sharp reaction from Democrats. Rhode island senator Jack Reed vowed to fight the plan to eliminate the NEA 'tooth and nail'. Maine representative Chellie Pingree, told the New York Times that Trump was 'making a broad-based attack on the arts … they're in no mood to keep much of government alive anymore, and their attack is focused on everything, and the arts have already got a bull's-eye on their back.' Support through NEA grants is considered vital to smaller arts organizations and used a seal of approval to attract support from private organizations or donors. The NEA, with a budget of $207m last year, had already seen its funding slashed and had announced it would only accept grant applicants that would not be used to promote 'diversity, equity and inclusion' or 'gender ideology'. Brian Weaver, artistic director of the Portland playhouse, told the New York Times that the loss of its grant offer was 'ridiculous'. 'It's strange that the Trump administration is trumpeting their priorities to serve diverse America while canceling grants for our August Wilson play,' Weaver said, referring to the Black author of the play. Other organizations that said they had received similar notices of grant offer cancellations include Yale's repertory theater in Connecticut; Indianapolis's writing group, the New Harmony Project; the American conservatory theater in San Francisco; and the Civilians, a New York-based theater company. Kate Fowler, a director at Studio Two Three, a community arts space in Richmond, Virginia, said the organisations' $30,000 grant had been cancelled. 'Absolutely furious,' Fowler wrote on Instagram: 'The long-arm strategy to federally divest from community organizations is not incidental. These are the places where communities gather, dream and scheme. This is where we build, envision and create community-level change.'
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Arts agency terminates dozens of grants after Trump proposes eliminating NEA
Dozens of US arts organizations have been notified that offers of government grants have been terminated, hours after Donald Trump proposed eliminating federal agencies that support arts, humanities and learning. The cancellation of grant offers were reported from organizations across the US, including a $25,000 offer to a playhouse in Portland, Oregon, hours before the opening of a new production, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. On Friday, Trump proposed eliminating several learning and arts-orientated agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as part of the administration's 2026 discretionary budget request that is in essence a White House wish-list. The federal agencies were listed under 'small agency eliminations' and their cancellations, the document said were 'consistent with the president's efforts to decrease the size of the federal government to enhance accountability, reduce waste, and reduce unnecessary governmental entities'. The proposed eliminations come after both the NEH and NEA moved to cut costs and staffing in compliance with earlier directives to reduce the federal workforce and shut down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. An email sent out to arts organization administrators late on Friday said the NEA was updating its grant making policy priorities to focus funding on projects that 'reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the president.' NPR reported that the email was sent from a generic ' address. The email also said, according to numerous US media reports, that the endowment would favor projects that 'elevate' historically Black colleges and universities, and colleges that serve Hispanic students. It said it would also focus on projects that: 'celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster A.I. competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.' However, numerous media reports showed that the cuts would hit at projects that included those aimed at communities of color. The proposed budget plan also includes cuts in support to public broadcasters and conforms to efforts by the president during his first term to see government support of the arts and humanities endowments eliminated. Democrats politicians and arts unions said the cuts would be disastrous to public access to creative expression. 'The NEA is essential to our livelihoods and our democracy,' The American Federation of Musicians posted on X. 'Without it, communities across the country, both rural and urban, will lack access to arts participation.' The proposals provoked a sharp reaction from Democrats. Rhode island senator Jack Reed vowed to fight the plan to eliminate the NEA 'tooth and nail'. Maine representative Chellie Pingree, told the New York Times that Trump was 'making a broad-based attack on the arts … they're in no mood to keep much of government alive anymore, and their attack is focused on everything, and the arts have already got a bull's-eye on their back.' Support through NEA grants is considered vital to smaller arts organizations and used a seal of approval to attract support from private organizations or donors. The NEA, with a budget of $207m last year, had already seen its funding slashed and had announced it would only accept grant applicants that would not be used to promote 'diversity, equity and inclusion' or 'gender ideology'. Brian Weaver, artistic director of the Portland playhouse, told the New York Times that the loss of its grant offer was 'ridiculous'. 'It's strange that the Trump administration is trumpeting their priorities to serve diverse America while canceling grants for our August Wilson play,' Weaver said, referring to the Black author of the play. Other organizations that said they had received similar notices of grant offer cancellations include Yale's repertory theater in Connecticut; Indianapolis's writing group, the New Harmony Project; the American conservatory theater in San Francisco; and the Civilians, a New York-based theater company. Kate Fowler, a director at Studio Two Three, a community arts space in Richmond, Virginia, said the organisations' $30,000 grant had been cancelled. 'Absolutely furious,' Fowler wrote on Instagram: 'The long-arm strategy to federally divest from community organizations is not incidental. These are the places where communities gather, dream and scheme. This is where we build, envision and create community-level change.'
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NEA begins cancelling grants after Trump called for disbanding agency
May 3 (UPI) -- The National Endowment for the Arts has begun cancelling grants to recipients after President Donald Trump on Friday revealed a budget plan calling for the elimination of the agency as he aims to exert governmental influence over the cultural sector. The NEA -- along with the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting -- was one of some 16 "small agencies" marked for elimination in Trump's 2026 budget proposal. In the budget plan, White House officials wrote that the disbanding of the agencies was "consistent" with Trump's aims to slash the federal government to "enhance accountability, reduce waste, and reduce unnecessary governmental entities." The operations of the small agencies amount to some $3.5 billion of the federal budget while Elon Musk's SpaceX has received some $15.3 billion in government contracts alone since 2003. Musk oversees the Department of Governmental Efficiency's efforts to cull what it views as wasteful spending for the Trump administration. "We have some difficult news to share with you all. This evening we were informed by the National Endowment for the Arts that they are withdrawing their $25,000 grant in support of our current production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone," the Portland Playhouse in Oregon said in a statement on social media Friday. "To receive this news on the eve of opening night is deeply disappointing. While we have no plans currently to cancel our production, moving forward without the support of this critical funding presents a significant challenge for our company." The NEA was established in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of his Great Society agenda to foster creativity and bring cultural enrichment to all Americans. Though it represents less than 0.004% of the federal budget, the NEA has long been a target of political scrutiny, particularly from conservative lawmakers who argue that public funds should not support art deemed controversial or elitist. Trump previously proposed eliminating the NEA during his first term, but the effort was repeatedly blocked by Congress, where the agency enjoys bipartisan support from lawmakers representing districts that benefit from cultural tourism and arts-related economic development. This time, however, Trump has more tools at his disposal, including his DOGE allies and a Republican-controlled budget committee that appears more willing to implement his sweeping cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson has already endorsed Trump's proposal. Arts advocates warn that the real impact of the proposed elimination won't just be felt in major metropolitan museums but in small-town programs that rely on NEA matching funds to unlock local and state-level support. In many cases, losing the NEA grant could trigger a domino effect that makes it harder for organizations to qualify for private philanthropy or regional grants. The cancellation of grants has affected everything from playhouses to publishing houses, from visual arts centers to film festivals. A list of 2025 grant recipients shows hundreds of recipients across America's small towns. Will Evans of the Texas-based nonprofit publishing house Deep Vellum called the NEA "politically weaponized" on social media. "They can't cancel literature; they can't cancel dialogue. Donate & let's fight this bullshit together!" Evans said. The cancellation of the grants was sent by email to the affected arts organizations. According to The New York Times, which reviewed the emails sent to various grant recipients, there were at least two versions of the message.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump Budget Calls For Elimination Of National Endowment For The Arts
Donald Trump has proposed eliminating funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, as his administration also has taken steps to pull back grants that have already been awarded. The NEA received an appropriation of $207 million in the most recent fiscal year. More from Deadline Los Angeles Times Undergoes Another Round of Layoffs; Guild Says 14 Members Impacted Jon Voight Has A Plan To Save Hollywood: Will Trump Or Anyone Else Care? Donald Trump's Latest Executive Order Directs An End To Federal Funding For NPR And PBS; "Blatantly Unlawful," PBS CEO Says -- Update Meanwhile, some arts groups have reported getting notice that grants that have already been awarded are being withdrawn. Portland Playhouse said that the NEA informed them on Friday evening that a $25,000 grant to support a production of 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone' was being rescinded. 'To receive this news on the eve of opening night is deeply disappointing,' the playhouse said in a statement. 'While we have no plans currently to cancel our production, moving forward without the support of this critical funding presents a significant challenge for our company. 'We know we're not alone. Arts organizations across the country are grappling with reduced support at a time when the need for community, connection, and cultural expression is vital. Your support of our cultural institutions is more crucial now than ever before.' The New York Times first reported on the withdrawn grants. Earlier this year, the NEA announced a shift in grant priorities to projects in support of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The NEA also canceled another grant program, Challenge America. That program had an emphasis on 'small organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved groups/communities.' In his first term, Trump's budgets repeatedly called for the elimination of NEA funding, but Congress, which sets the budget, ignored that proposal. Instead, NEA funding steadily increased during his first term. Trump's latest budget proposal also calls for eliminating funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, along with a host of other small agencies. Trump already singed an executive order to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services, but that dismantling has been challenged in court. On Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from doing so, per the AP. The president also signed an executive order this week ordering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding PBS and NPR. The CPB and the public media outlets said that the president did not have the authority to do so and are weighing their next steps. The corporation already is suing the administration over its effort to fire three of the five members of the CPB board, including Sony's Tom Rothman. Trump's latest budget proposal also calls for zeroing out CPB funding. Erin Harkey, the CEO of Americans for the Arts, which advocates for federal arts funding, called the moves 'a systematic effort to undermine the nation's cultural fabric.' She also noted administration efforts to reduce staff of the National Endowment for the Humanities by 70% and to cancel current and future grants. A spokesperson for the NEA did not immediately return a request for comment. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery Brad Pitt's Apple 'F1' Movie: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far
