Trump’s National Endowment for the Arts Grant Restrictions Spur Backlash

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Over 400 artists penned a missive to the National Endowment for the Arts on Tuesday, urging them to disregard instructions from President Trump and eliminate limitations on funding projects that foster inclusivity or explore gender identity themes.

The letter, penned by Annie Dorsen – a theater director and writer who spearheaded the campaign – was sent following the NEA’s announcement that all federal grant applicants, such as nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, individual artists, and others, are now required to adhere to regulations set forth in Trump’s executive orders to be eligible for funding.

According to the latest rules, an individual cannot manage or run initiatives focused on “diversity, equity, and inclusivity” and may not utilize federal funding for activities that endorse “gender ideology.

In unity with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the arts community strongly disagrees with its recent actions that go against the Endowment’s objective of nurturing an arts ecosystem that benefits all Americans. We urge the NEA to reconsider and undo those modifications to the compliance rules.

The letter states: “We understand that our counterparts at the NEA find themselves in a challenging predicament. It’s possible they are considering making concessions to allow the Endowment to carry on with its crucial tasks. However, compromising our principles is not acceptable, and it won’t offer any protection. Submitting without question merely strengthens authoritarianism,” the letter goes on to say.

Recently, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced it would not be issuing grants for its Challenge America program in the near future. However, these groups can still apply for funding through the NEA’s standard grant programs. The latter encourages applications that recognize and commemorate America’s artistic heritage as we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States (America250).

During a webinar held on Tuesday, NEA administrators mentioned that the organization has been promoting initiatives honoring America’s 250th anniversary since 2021. However, they emphasized that this was not the only area of focus when it comes to grant funding. The administrators also stated that they would continue to fund projects focusing on disability and would provide grants for organizations working with specific genders or racial groups as well.

Trump is also making moves in the arts sphere by assuming the role of chairman at the Kennedy Center. He’s appointed Richard Grenell, previously Trump’s ambassador to Germany, as the interim head, and has added several new members to the board.

The full letter is below:

February 18, 2025

To the National Endowment for the Arts:

As artists, playwrights, choreographers, performers, musicians, and workers in various sectors of the arts and culture industry, we have all been positively impacted by the National Endowment for the Arts’ grant-making activities. Some of us have received direct support from the Endowment through its grants to the institutions that have nurtured and showcased our work. Others may not have received direct funding, but we have benefited indirectly due to the crucial role the NEA has played in fostering a rich and diverse arts ecosystem that we are proud to be a part of.

We’re reaching out to convey our deep dismay over the NEA’s decision to modify its compliance rules for Arts Project Grants, aligning with the controversial and discriminatory executive orders issued by the Trump administration. These orders, specifically Executive Orders 14173 and 14168, are currently being contested in court, and it’s expected they will be deemed unconstitutional based on both statutory and constitutional grounds. In fact, certain aspects of EO 14168 have already been temporarily blocked by the courts.

Even though the arts community supports the NEA, we strongly disapprove of this breach of trust towards the Endowment’s purpose to enrich and support the arts for everyone in the U.S. We kindly request that the NEA reconsider these changes to the compliance rules.

We understand that the NEA colleagues find themselves in a challenging predicament. It might seem like making these concessions could preserve the Endowment’s crucial functions, but compromising our core values is not acceptable. Such obedience without question only strengthens authoritarianism.

Trump and his associates might try to mislead by stating that backing artists of color is “discrimination” or financing trans and female artists promotes “ideology of gender” (which remains unclear). However, we are aware that the arts encompass and reflect everyone. We must hold onto this fact. The NEA should not discard these principles—or those artists. Artists primarily strive to express their truths, foster communities through stories that breathe life into these truths, and connect with others as we all navigate our shared journey on earth.

In times of political turmoil, the arts hold a vital position. As national identities split and the shared space for discourse narrows or grows more divisive, the arts provide an essential wellspring of memory, creativity, and foresight. The artistic community, which the National Endowment for the Arts both fosters and is a part of, needs to unite in the face of those who seek to obliterate our past, limit our potential, and narrow our perspective.

In keeping with our sentiments, we request the NEA to revert the biased adjustments made to their compliance standards, and refrain from imposing any more limitations of this kind in the future.

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2025-02-19 00:55