Hundreds of arts organizations across the United States — in red and blue states — face funding threats after President Donald Trump made cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts. But one Harlem theatre is fighting back.
“Not only will the show go on, but it must go on,” Ty Jones, the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s artistic director, told The Recount’s John Friia.
The Trump administration, as part of its sweeping cuts to federal endowments and grants, revoked the theatre’s $60,000 grant, which would have helped the nonprofit theatre company put on its summer production.
Jones turned to the community to fill the last-minute void in funding.
“I’m one of these people that’s crazy enough to believe that the power of people is always stronger than the people in power,” Jones said.
Hundreds of organizations have faced similar cuts:
• In Texas, the Welman Project lost its $35,000 grant, which would have transformed a former Ku Klux Klan auditorium into a hub for culture and arts in Fort Worth.
• In Arizona, the Southwest Folklife Alliance lost a $45,000 grant for its “Tucson Meet Yourself” festival, which was 9% of the festival’s overall budget.
• In Virginia, Studio 23, which is a community art space, lost its $30,000 grant for its planned programming for the year.
Many arts organizations received this email: “The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President.”
