17 February 2025
Quite a bit happened in the arts world while we were celebrating SC Arts Advocacy Week 2025. To help keep you informed, here are some of the leading stories we’re following. Many of these stories are still evolving, so we will continue to notify members as appropriate.
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In Columbia
The full House Ways and Means committee is set to begin budget deliberations this week, and hopes to release their version of the budget bill next week. You can view a full schedule of meetings, and watch live here >>
The House recently released H3927, a bill to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in hiring and training practices, programs and activities and policies and procedures across state agencies, higher ed, and other subdivisions. Similar versions of the bill have come up in prior sessions, but this iteration also requires grant recipients certify that they do not have DEI practices, and do not hire contractors with DEI practices.
- We are following this bill closely, because of it’s extension to the local level, and potential impact on arts grantees.
See all the bills we’re following here >>
In Washington
Budget
The House budget committee released its FY2025 Budget Resolution, which calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts. We’ll have a better update for what this might mean for the sector in our next newsletter, but Congressional leadership (from both sides of the aisle) continues to tell our partners that they will do all they can to protect arts funding.
Federal Funding Freeze
On January 27th, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo ordering the temporary suspension of all federal grants and assistance while agencies reviewed their compliance with recent Executive Orders. Since then:
- The Memo was Rescinded by OMB canceling the order to freeze federal grants, contracts and assistance.
- Several judges have temporarily blocked Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans.
- The National Council of Nonprofits filed a lawsuit with the DC Court to put a hold on this directive from going into effect.
From what we can tell, grant awards from the National Endowment for the Arts are still going out to grantees. However, the NEA did issue updates to some of its grant program guidelines.
Additional resources:
America’s 250th Celebration
In a recent Executive Order, the Trump Administration designated a White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday. Among other appointees, the Task Force will include the Chairs of both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The above mentioned NEA grant update also noted that projects related to the 250th celebration will be given priority consideration.
Kennedy Center
President Trump has removed half of the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the remaining members have appointed him as the new Board Chair. This is the first time that a President has served as chair of the board, and the surprising move has already led to a number of artists cancelling their scheduled performances at the Center.
