Trump Staffers Say National Endowment for the Arts Should Be Cut Out
President Trump is making strides at keeping his campaign promises. He has instituted a federal hiring freeze.
He's also pulling the country out of the Trans Pacific Partnership. He's met with top business leaders to talk with them about what the government can do to help them create more jobs. He's planning to meet with this same group again.
Trump staffers have also suggested privitizing NPR and Public Broadcasting. They are also talking about completely cutting out the National Endowment for the Arts.
We did a little checking to find out how many Louisiana programs get money from the NEA. The NEA supports a wide range of artistic fields from dance to literature to community art projects.
In Louisiana, 15 programs get money from the NEA. The state Division of the Arts also gets $737 thousand for the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, & Tourism $737,000
Two local programs get funding from the NEA. The Shreveport Opera gets $12,500 to support performances of "Dead Man Walking" by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrence McNally. Based on the nonfiction book by Sister Helen Prejean and the 1995 film of the same name.
For 2017, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council gets $60,000 to support the commission of artists to create iconic frames for Nick Cave's "Beaded Blankets" and associated activities. Selected artists will design and fabricate frames intended to transition the existing "Beaded Blankets" into outdoor public artworks in Shreveport Common which is a formerly blighted nine-block area that is being redeveloped.
In 2016 SRAC got $100,000 to support UNSCENE! This project features three-month artist residencies featuring nationally reknowned artists paired with local artists who will create temporary installations, performances, films, readings, and other programming focused on audience participation and engagement. Artists will live in the Kellenberg Artist Tower at the center of Shreveport Common,
Also in 2016 SRAC got $40,000 to support the Artists Entrepreneur Training Program. SRAC will produce the training program that includes a convening focused on arts collection and criticism that will bring nationally renowned critics and gallery owners to connect with artists and collectors. Artist studio tours and exhibitions also will take place.