Tucson Arts Groups, Including Loft Cinema and Folklife Alliance, Face NEA Grant Cuts Under Trump Administration

Dozens of arts organizations in Tucson, along with hundreds across the nation, received unsettling news last Friday from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The agency announced the cancellation of grants, citing a shift in funding priorities under President Donald Trump.

The NEA, which serves as the principal funding source for local arts initiatives nationwide, is facing budget cuts in Trump’s federal proposal. This includes an ambitious plan to reduce federal spending by $163 billion, targeting multiple agencies, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and AmeriCorps.

The NEA’s revised priorities focus on various initiatives, including supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), promoting AI competency, and enhancing services for military veterans and Tribal communities, among others.

Peggy Johnson, executive director of the Loft Cinema, was informed that her organization’s $30,000 NEA grant had been rescinded. While grantees have a week to appeal, Johnson and her team opted not to challenge the decision. “We don’t want to have federal money that comes with strings attached,” she stated.

The funds were intended for the 2025 Loft Film Fest, which Johnson confirmed would proceed since the NEA grant constituted a small part of the overall budget. Following the announcement, the Loft received donations that helped mitigate the loss. The festival, now in its fifteenth year, showcases independent and classic films at theaters on East Speedway.

Tucson boasts a strong philanthropic community in the arts, Johnson noted, suggesting that they would endure despite the setback. “It’s a sad direction for the country to be going in,” she added.

Similarly affected is the Southwest Folklife Alliance, based at the University of Arizona, which faces a loss of $20,000 from a promised $70,000 grant for “La Doce” cultural programs. Kimi Eisele, the organization’s folklorist and communications manager, expressed intentions to appeal the decision, underscoring the financial impact on jobs associated with these programs.

The Tucson Symphony Orchestra also received disappointing news, with a $25,000 grant for its Young Composers Project terminated. President Paul Meecham remains hopeful for reimbursement since the program concludes its 32nd year shortly. However, he pointed out that losing a quarter of the budget would pose significant challenges moving forward.

Additionally, Meecham noted that rural arts initiatives are likely to suffer the most from NEA funding cuts, as they rely heavily on public investment to sustain operations.

Approximately 40 percent of the NEA’s $207 million budget is allocated to state arts agencies like the Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA). While the ACA’s current funding remains intact, the potential loss of federal grants could complicate funding efforts at the state level, according to communications director Steve Wilcox.

In Tucson, some ACA grantees include organizations such as KXCI Community Radio and the Arizona Theatre Company. Eisele highlighted the vital role of arts and culture in community health, reflecting on the broader implications of these cuts as “antithetical to what a healthy America could be.”