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For the third consecutive year, President Trump called for the end of federal funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in his annual budget request to Congress. The Creative Coalition strongly rejects the President’s annual call to end federal funding for the NEA. Congress must again reject these shortsighted cuts proposed in the President’s budget request and instead increase funding for the NEA.

“No matter how many times this Administration proposes to eliminate federal funding for the NEA, The Creative Coalition will be there to fight for the #RightToBearArts™ for all Americans” said Tim Daly, President of The Creative Coalition. “We remain vigilant in defending the right to maintain an imaginative and expressive population. And we must prevent these draconian funding cuts for the NEA from becoming a devastating reality.”

“The arts are not a red issue, nor a blue issue; they are a human issue. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress recognized the value of the arts by increasing funding for the NEA last year and resoundingly rejecting the President’s call to eliminate funding.” stated Robin Bronk CEO of The Creative Coalition. “The well documented benefits of the arts make them a prudent investment of federal dollars. What we cannot afford is to deny access to the arts to countless Americans by eliminating funding for the NEA.”

In response to calls to eliminate federal funding for the NEA in prior years, The Creative Coalition mobilized a successful grassroots movement, the #RightToBearArts™, to advocate for survival of federal arts programs. This effort continues today to ensure public funding for the arts creates access to the arts for all Americans, especially those in at-risk and underserved communities. Last week, the CEO of The Creative Coalition, Robin Bronk, submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Committee calling on Congress to increase funding for the NEA to $167.5 million.  You can view her testimony here.

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