If you make your living in the arts — if you act, write, direct, produce, pitch, cut, compose or greenlight stories, then what’s happening to the National Endowment for the Arts isn’t just political noise. It’s personal.
The Nea isn’t some abstract agency. It’s the only federal institution that exists to support artistic expression in America. Since 1965, it has seeded the creative ecosystem that feeds our industry. The Nea is funding independent film labs, rural arts programs, youth theaters, music therapy for veterans and the very first touchpoint of art for more than 41 million Americans. That ecosystem is now on life support.
In the early months of President Trump’s second term, his administration has launched a targeted assault on the Nea. Leadership has been gutted. Programs like Challenge America, which brought the arts to underserved communities, have been canceled. New guidelines are being drafted that…
