In the wake of devastating federal decisions that have shuttered the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and amid mounting concern over targeted attacks on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), we at the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) stand in firm solidarity with our national, state, and local partners in the arts and cultural sector.
On Friday May 2nd, many arts organizations in Oregon and across the country received abrupt notices from the NEA rescinding previously awarded grants. The justification given—that funding is being redirected toward projects that “reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President”—delivers a chilling message: that essential, congressionally approved support for diverse, community-rooted arts practices is being erased under political pressure.
These actions, following recent eliminations of critical institutions like NEH and IMLS, further jeopardize the already fragile ecosystems that uplift community storytelling, education, heritage, creativity, and healing. We echo the statement issued last week by the Oregon Arts Commission, which called the rescissions “devastating” and emphasized the loss to artists and organizations who depend on federal investment to serve their communities.
At RACC, we issued our own statement on April 25, reaffirming the importance of local voices, local investment, and sustained federal partnership in protecting a vibrant cultural future. Read our full statement here.
Let it be known: the erosion of federal support for the arts does not diminish the resolve of our communities. In Oregon, our creative sector has responded with urgency, unity, and advocacy. This was never clearer than during Arts and Culture Advocacy Day in Salem, on April 15th, where we joined hundreds of advocates under the leadership of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO) to urge lawmakers to take bold action in the face of federal abdication.
During our meetings with legislators, one of our coalition members distilled the stakes succinctly:
“You may not be able to save all the sectors impacted by federal cuts to critical services, but for less than $25 million, you can support arts, culture, heritage and humanities — and keep Oregon from going feral.”
This message resonated, and we saw progress:
- $10 million requested for grants through the Oregon Arts Commission
- $5.5 million for matching investments in Oregon’s anchor arts organizations
- $8.3 million to fund critical capital projects across the state
As we continue our outreach to legislators and reinforce these requests, we call on our community to stay engaged. We watch for weekly updates from the CACO Policy Committee, whose weekly calls began this month. Please consider renewing your advocacy support — as we have learned in the wake of COVID, advocacy remains one of the most powerful tools we have.
We urge all community members to remain vigilant. Stay informed (here is one link shared nationally via Arts Alliance’s Federal Updates and Rapid Responses), support your local arts organizations, and raise your voice where it counts — locally, statewide, and nationally.
We believe in an arts ecosystem that is expansive, inclusive, and rooted in the people it serves. This is not the time to shrink. It is the time to rise.