The First Step: Arts Funding Passes House Committee!
June 28, 2022 – The Creative Coalition thanks the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee for providing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts at a record level of $207 million for Fiscal Year 2023, an increase of $27 million over Fiscal Year 2022. This funding amount represents the highest in real dollars the National Endowment for the Arts has ever received from Congress.
Earlier this year, The Creative Coalition’s 2022 #RightToBearArts Capitol Hill Day delegates met with legislators and White House officials to advocate for an increase in necessary funding. This historic allocation of funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is fundamental to the continued recovery and expansion of arts organizations across the country. Not only will it increase investments in grant programs and community-based initiatives, but it will also provide resources to help broaden equity in the sector via the expansion of arts education opportunities in underserved districts. For many arts organizations, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts serve as seed funding which allows them to leverage dollars they might not otherwise receive from the private sector. The proposed funding for FY 2023 will help with the financial support of large and small arts organizations alike, those which are fostering tangible change for our children and broader communities.
“The arts are one of the most effective and transformative change agents available to us as human beings,” said Tim Daly, Actor and President of The Creative Coalition. “Increasing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is necessary to create and enhance opportunities for all to develop through the arts, especially for those in underserved communities.”
“Federal funding for the arts is paramount in providing and expanding access to the arts for Americans across all backgrounds, especially during these challenging times,” said Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition. “The arts have time and time again demonstrated their power to bring people together, to help students learn, and to grow our economy. Now, Congress must provide the necessary resources to continue the revitalization of the arts sector and our creative economy across the nation.”
Although today’s action in the House represents a strong step, there is still work to be done in determining the final funding level for the Endowment for the upcoming fiscal year. With approval by the full House Appropriations Committee, it will be brought to the U.S. House of Representatives later this summer. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittees have not yet released their budget proposals at this time. The Creative Coalition urges all citizens to continue calling on Congress to fund the National Endowment for the Arts at $207 million in Fiscal Year 2023.
###