As Trump’s art policies spark debates over cultural institutions in the U.S., a major backlash has emerged from the artistic community. More than 400 artists have signed an open letter to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), demanding that Trump retract regulations that prohibit funding for projects supporting diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), or what his administration calls “gender ideology.”
The letter, first reported by The New York Times, highlights that the NEA is now required to comply with Trump’s new regulations, which could have devastating effects on artists, scholars, and independent arts organizations. It states:
“As an arts community, we continue to support the NEA, but these policies betray the foundation’s mission to ensure that the arts benefit everyone.”
The campaign, organized by Annie Dorsen, has garnered signatures from prominent figures such as Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights Jackie Sibblies Drury, Lynn Nottage, and Paula Vogel. Also among the signatories is performance artist Holly Hughes, one of the four artists whose NEA funding was revoked during the cultural wars of the 1990s. Hughes remarked, “This reminds me of what happened in the ’90s. We are witnessing a barometer of who is being scapegoated in the art world today.”
Upon beginning his second term, Trump has enacted stringent cultural regulations. The new policies prevent government arts funding from supporting DEI-focused projects and exclude those that promote “gender ideology.” These restrictions are seen as a significant threat, particularly to women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ artists.
Artists and cultural advocates argue that such policies endanger artistic freedom and could harm America’s cultural heritage. They warn that restricting diversity and suppressing creative expression could undermine the democratic nature of the arts.
These regulations have heightened fears in the art world, especially after Trump took control of the Kennedy Center’s leadership. He removed board members appointed during Joe Biden’s presidency and replaced them with his own supporters. This move led prominent figures in the arts, such as Issa Rae, Shonda Rhimes, and Renée Fleming, to sever ties with the institution.
Trump’s pressure on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is not new. When he first took office in 2017, he pledged to shut down the agency entirely and proposed a plan to cut its budget by 80%. However, bipartisan support in Congress not only saved the NEA but also secured an increase in its funding.
Artists argue that these new regulations stifle creativity and freedom of expression. They emphasize that art belongs to everyone and that they must not submit to these restrictions. Reflecting a collective stance, artists state:
“Trump and his supporters may try to portray funding for artists—especially those from minority communities—as ‘discriminatory.’ But we know the truth: Art is for everyone.”
The restriction of government support for the arts has long been a topic of political debate. Conservative politicians, in particular, view the allocation of public funds to certain art projects as an ideological issue. This debate, which began during the Reagan era, reached its peak in the 1990s with cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Today, Trump’s policies are reigniting these longstanding cultural battles in the arts.
On the other hand, artists continue to resist such restrictions by strengthening their solidarity. Those who signed the open letter reaffirm their commitment to defending artistic freedom and social inclusion against the Trump administration’s actions.
“To the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA),
We are artists, playwrights, choreographers, performance artists, musicians, and professionals working across various sectors of the arts and culture industry. We have all benefited from the NEA’s grant-making efforts—whether directly through its support for institutions that develop and present our work, or, just as importantly, through its role in fostering the vibrant and diverse artistic ecosystem that we are proud to be part of.
We write to express our deep disappointment with the NEA’s decision to amend the compliance requirements for its Grants for Arts Projects program in accordance with Trump’s reactionary and discriminatory executive orders. These orders, numbered 14173 and 14168, are already facing legal challenges and are likely to be overturned on constitutional grounds. In fact, parts of Executive Order 14168 have already been halted.
While the arts community stands in solidarity with the NEA, we firmly believe that this decision constitutes a betrayal of the foundation’s mission: “to promote the growth and sustainability of the arts in a way that benefits everyone in the United States.” We urge the NEA to revoke these compliance requirements.
We recognize that our colleagues at the NEA are in a difficult position. Perhaps these concessions are seen as a way to ensure the Endowment’s important work can continue. However, compromising on fundamental values is not the answer—it does not protect us. Preemptive compliance only serves authoritarianism.
Trump and his supporters may engage in doublespeak, claiming that supporting artists of color constitutes “discrimination” or that funding the work of trans and women artists promotes “gender ideology” (whatever that means). But we know better: art is for everyone, and it represents everyone. We cannot afford to lose this. The NEA must not betray these principles—or the artists who embody them. Artists are not in the business of promoting ideology. We create because we are driven to tell our truths, to build communities around the stories that bring them to life, and to find shared purpose with others in the process.
Art plays a particularly crucial role in times of political crisis. When national identities fracture, public spaces shrink or become more contentious, art serves as an essential resource for memory, imagination, and shaping the future. When the artistic community that the NEA supports—and is a part of—is confronted by forces that seek to erase our memories, stifle our imaginations, and obscure our vision, we must stand together.
With this in mind, we demand that the NEA rescind these discriminatory changes and refrain from imposing any such restrictions in the future.”
