Congress Protects Federal Arts Funding 

From Americans for the Arts 

We have news: The Senate recently passed the minibus bill protecting $207 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). 

This funding held strong even with another zero-out request in the President’s budget. In a political climate where proposals to eliminate the NEA entirely were on the table, overwhelming bipartisan support sends a clear message: the arts are essential, not optional.

This Victory is Yours: 18,000 messages. Strategic fly-ins. Calls, emails, and Capitol Hill meetings throughout the appropriations process. Your voices made the difference. You can see how other arts and culture programs were funded in the Interior appropriations package.

What’s Next: This funding matters, but our work continues. The State of the Union is scheduled for February 26th, which means the President’s FY 2027 budget will be released shortly after. We’re already engaging with Members of Congress on next year’s appropriations—and we’ll need your voices again. Stay connected with AFTA for timely updates on how to stay involved in the FY27 cycle.

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