What They’re Thinking: Art Programs Small Part Of Budget, Big Part Of Economy

CEDAR RAPIDS — Earlier this month, President Donald Trump proposed a federal budget that sharply cuts domestic spending to divert more money to the military and to immigration enforcement. Some of the areas he targeted for outright elimination are the $148 million National Endowment for the Arts, the similar $148 million National Endowment for the Humanities and the $230 million Institute of Museum and Library Services. Sean Ulmer, executive director of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, weighs in on what that could mean if the proposal were eventually adopted by Congress. Q: If funding for the National Endowment for the Arts were eliminated, what kind of trickle-down effect might arts presenters feel at the local and state levels? A: The NEA provides funds directly to the Iowa Arts Council, which are then regranted on the local level to many organizations, including museums. According to the American Alliance of Museums, NEA support to the Iowa Arts Council was $1.8 million in data from 2014-2016.