Vermont arts, history and humanities groups ask Legislature for 10% boost above governor’s budget to offset federal losses

Four of Vermont’s major cultural agencies told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 17 that modest additional state funding is needed this year to make up for federal cuts and rising costs.

Susan Evans Before, executive director of the Vermont Arts Council, told the committee the Council had retained its National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding for FY26 but that other federal supports have been reduced. “We are in a challenging, and unprecedented and pivotal moment in our nation,” she said, and asked the Legislature to consider a 10% increase above the governor’s budget proposal as a show of support and to help fill gaps where federal dollars were canceled.

Why it matters: the cultural agencies said the increase would both ensure Vermont meets federal matching rules and sustain grants, education and community programs that statewide partners rely on. Evans Before said the NEA advised the Council its allocation would be a little over $1,000,000 this year…