Support the Valuable Work Made Possible by the NEA!

In a strong demonstration of bipartisan support, Congress has consistently supported funding for both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), most recently allocating $207 million for the FY23, FY24, and FY25 fiscal years. In the past two years, bipartisan members of Congress have taken action to defend the NEA and NEH against attempts to decrease or eliminate funding. After defeating floor amendments in 2023 by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) that sought to eliminate funding for both agencies, the House again gathered bipartisan support to defeat harmful floor amendments in 2024, this time offered by Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) that would have reduced funding for both agencies to FY19 levels. Arts advocates urge Congress to approve full support for the NEA so that the communities throughout the United States can receive much-needed resources that bring people together for the experience of live music.

On May 2nd, the NEA issued termination letters to many grant recipients of FY24 and FY25 awards, specifying that the agency would not support costs for those projects incurred after May 31, 2025. The NEA also informed many applicants that were awaiting final confirmation of their FY25 grant awards that their projects would not be supported. According to the termination notices, this action was taken to realign agency resources with the new priorities of this Administration. This is an unprecedented reversal of approved federal support for the arts nationwide.

The President's "skinny" preliminary budget outline for FY26 proposes eliminating the NEA, as was requested in the Administration's first term. Congress has acted to maintain and grow NEA resources, and with good reason: the arts have strong bipartisan support among the American public, and the NEA's work is valuable to all parts of the country.

Talking Points

Grants awarded to orchestras by the NEA, and support provided to orchestras through NEA funds administered by state and regional arts agencies, provide critical funding for projects that increase access to music in communities nationwide.
NEA funding directly supports local projects and also spurs giving from other sources like private foundations, corporations, and individual contributors. The NEA is a critical component in the network of public, private, corporate, and philanthropic support that makes the work of America's orchestras possible.
The NEA contributes to the prosperity and economic health of communities nationwide: a strong arts sector is an economic asset that stimulates business activity and tourism, improves lifelong learning opportunities, and sparks community pride and vitality.
Every congressional district receives NEA support, and 40% of NEA funding supports the work of our nation's state arts agencies. Sustaining the federal investment in the agency's budget ensures this grant distribution continues and that more communities thrive with the benefits of the arts.
The Administration's sudden disruption to FY2025 grants in progress poses significant harm to arts organizations across the country that were using approved federal resources in service to their communities.

View an issue brief urging FY2026 support for the NEA.