The White House has revealed its budget proposal for 2019 and despite recommending a $716 billion spending increase for defense, Trump wants to slash funding for cultural programs. He has suggested cutting the NEA's budget from $150m down to $29m. Other cultural organizations would also see their budgets broken—Trump's plan would cut funding for the National Endowment of Humanities from $150m down to just $42m, the Institute of Museum and Library Services from $231m to $23m, and public television from $495m to just $15m.

Last year, when the President first took office, he similarly tried to institute significant cuts to these federal programs. Despite his best efforts, Congress—who has the final say on passing the federal budget each year—ultimately ended up retaining funding for the various cultural organizations in bipartisan agreement. Beyond being extremely important to the well-being of the country in general, these agencies also support many architectural initiatives that are vital to our industry specifically. 

Projects that could face the chopping block if these cuts pass through Congress include AIA conferences; design competitions; architecture exhibitions; designs and plans for new cultural buildings as well as districts, neighborhoods, public spaces and landscapes; community workshops for design projects; neighborhood planning activities; residencies; socially-oriented design initiatives; adaptive reuse of historic buildings; historic and community preservation projects; conferences and symposia; educational initiatives; and more. Additionally, the American Architecture Foundation, the Architectural League of New York, Architecture for Humanity, the Association of Architecture Organizations, and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, among many others, all rely on funding from the NEA for support. 

In response, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Jane Chu released the following statement: 

Today we learned that the President’s FY 2019 budget proposes elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. We are disappointed because we see our funding actively making a difference with individuals in thousands of communities and in every Congressional District in the nation.

In FY 2018 to date, the NEA has awarded 1,134 grants totaling $26.68 million to organizations and individuals in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, launched a national songwriting competition for high school students, convened four summits across the country as part of Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, issued a research report on the economic impact of the arts in rural communities, and distributed emergency funding to arts agencies in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, among other activities.

We understand that the President’s budget request is a first step in a very long budget process. We stand ready to assist in that process as we continue to operate as usual.

As a federal government agency, the NEA cannot engage in advocacy, either directly or indirectly. We will, however, continue our practice of educating about the NEA’s vital role in serving our nation’s communities.