Arts Council warns FY2026 cuts would shrink programs and public art maintenance

Jonathan Grimes, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, urged the Metropolitan Council to maintain at least FY2025 funding levels and warned that the FY2026 proposal would jeopardize programming, arts education and public‑art maintenance.

Grimes told councilmembers the Arts Council — the designated local arts agency since 1973 — relied on roughly $333,930 in City‑Parish support in FY2025 after a previous 12% cut and that the FY2026 draft would reduce that support to about $250,000. He said the council’s overall operating budget is roughly $2.5 million and that the city‑parish subsidy represents about 13–15% of operating funds but plays an outsized role in bridging gaps when federal and state grant streams fluctuate.

“Art is not a luxury,” Grimes said, arguing arts education, cultural events and public‑art stewardship promote neighborhood identity, prevent crime through early‑childhood engagement and drive downtown economic activity. He cited a Riverbend project estimate that the council’s downtown work could generate roughly $6.7 million annually and about $40 million over a decade in economic impact.

Councilmembers asked about operating budgets, National Endowment for the Arts grants and immediate operational impacts if cuts were approved. Grimes said the most direct near‑term effects would be staff reductions and fewer classes through the Community School for the Arts; the program serves roughly 7,500 students in East Baton Rouge Parish and helps fill gaps where schools lack full‑time art teachers.

The council did not vote on the Arts Council allocation at the hearing; members and administration representatives said they would continue budget conversations and consider amendments.