Federal agency axes LGBTQ festival's funding, says it 'does not align' with Trump's priorities
Source: NBC News
May 8, 2025, 4:05 PM EDT
An annual theater festival dedicated to showcasing the work of playwrights from countries that criminalize or censor the LGBTQ community has turned to online fundraising after the National Endowment for the Arts revoked the New York festival’s grant.
In December, the independent federal agency awarded a $20,000 grant to the National Queer Theater, a nonprofit theater company based in Brooklyn, for its 2025 Criminal Queerness Festival. It was the third year the company was awarded an NEA grant, which made up 20% of the festival’s total budget, according to Jess Ducey, co-chair of the company’s board.
The NEA began revoking arts funding for a number of organizations, including the National Queer Theater, on Friday. That day, the agency told the theater in an email that it “is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President,” according to a copy of the email that Ducey shared with NBC News.
“Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities,” the email continued. “The NEA will now prioritize projects that elevate the Nation’s HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.”
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/federal-agency-axes-lgbtq-festivals-funding-says-not-align-trumps-prio-rcna205640
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