The President is expected to release his FY18 budget outline on March 14, with a fully detailed budget expected to come later this spring. Several news outlets have reported that the budget outline will propose eliminating  funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and several other programs and agencies with the goal of reducing federal spending by trillions over the next decade. 

This is concerning news in the least, but know that the President’s budget is just the start of the federal appropriations process. The House and Senate will each conduct budget negotiations, and each must pass its own spending bills and then come to agreement on total federal spending. Once spending bills are agreed upon, they must be signed into law by the President. Your active participation in arts advocacy efforts will be more important than ever this year. 

In FY18, PAA is advocating for these appropriations levels:

• $155 million for the National Endowment for the Arts

• $110 million for the Office of Citizen Exchanges

• $30 million for the Assistance for Arts Education Program

Visit the PAA Arts Advocacy Issue Center for talking points and to send messages to your elected officials.