California lawmakers hear warnings as federal cuts threaten arts, humanities and libraries

Sen. Ben Allen (chair), Vice Chair Assemblymember Christopher Ward and members of a joint legislative committee convened witnesses on the state of the arts to hear testimony that federal actions and proposed budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have produced immediate financial disruptions for institutions across California.

The hearing brought national and statewide arts leaders, museum and library directors, documentary filmmakers and local cultural organizations to the Capitol to describe cancelled grants, halted projects and threatened staff positions. Erin Harkey, chief executive officer of Americans for the Arts, said, “The arts are essential. These institutions, NEA, NEH, IMLS are essential.” California-based leaders described grant rescissions already announced by federal agencies and asked whether the state would intervene to protect programs that serve schools, rural communities and underserved audiences.

Witnesses detailed concrete impacts and sums. Harkey reported nationally that federal grant rescissions and uncertainty are creating immediate fiscal harm and leveraged losses at state and local levels; she said California received more than 2,000 NEA grants totaling over $70 million since…