On Friday, many active and pending grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) were abruptly terminated. This comes alongside the president’s proposal to eliminate the NEA entirely in the FY26 federal Budget
When Congress passed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, it declared that “the arts and the humanities belong to all the people of the United States.” Since its inception, the NEA has played a critical role in broadening access to the cultural, educational, and economic benefits of the arts in every Congressional District. Federal arts funds support thousands of communities across the nation, including 678 counties that private foundations do not reach.
If you’ve benefited from NEA support or seen the impact of public funding for arts and culture in your community, now is the time to share your story. Hearing from constituents helps legislators understand the real-world value of the arts.
Reach out to members of Congress and our State Legislators to let them know:
- What public funding for the arts looks like in your community;
- How federal support for the arts has helped you or your organization;
- Why continued investment in NEA, NEH and IMLS matter.
Visit Americans for the Arts for additional advocacy support and materials including email and phone scripts, a letter template, contact information and a social media toolkit
Important Actions for Current NEA Grantees
If you have received a termination notice from the NEA, we strongly encourage you to file an appeal by Friday, May 9th.
If you have not received a termination notice, we strongly encourage you to stay current on reimbursement requests and to submit final reports as quickly as possible
