As artists continue to feel the impacts of grant withdrawals and exhibition cancellations under the Trump administration, New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher held an oversight hearing on alleged censorship in the arts sector on Thursday, November 20.<\/p>\n
The hearing featured testimony from artists and cultural leaders, including New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Asian American Arts Alliance Executive Director Lisa Gold; and Elizabeth Larison, director of the Arts and Culture Advocacy Program at the National Coalition Against Censorship.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group called upon the City Council to address growing uncertainty, including the federal government\u2019s abrupt mass terminations of arts grants<\/a> and attempts to restrict content<\/a>. In oral testimonies, the cultural leaders warned of self-censorship and a chilling effect on free speech among arts institutions and artists under the Trump administration.<\/p>\n Bottcher, whose district includes the West Village and Chelsea, said community members\u2019 input at the hearing could lay the groundwork for the Council\u2019s plans to support local arts organizations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not subtle. This is coordinated,\u201d Bottcher said at the start of the hearing, referring to funding cuts from the National Endowment for the Arts<\/a> (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities<\/a> (NEH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services<\/a> (IMLS). \u201cIt\u2019s a national attempt to control what people see, what they learn, and whose stories get told.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the NEA said it would prohibit<\/a> applicants from promoting what it calls \u201cgender ideology,\u201d which includes trans inclusivity. A federal court, however, ruled the measure unconstitutional. During her testimony, DCLA Commissioner Cumbo said that her agency, unlike the NEA, does not consider content when making grant decisions through its Cultural Development Fund<\/a>, which supports local nonprofit arts organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we\u2019re proud of this work and this record, we understand that our cultural sector is facing tremendous challenges right now,\u201d Cumbo said. \u201cShifts in federal priorities are putting millions of dollars in cultural support at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n According to figures cited by Cumbo, New York City cultural organizations were awarded $32 million total in grants from the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, agencies the Trump administration is attempting to dismantle. Cumbo said DCLA would continue to monitor the state of federal funding among the city\u2019s organizations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWith so many mixed and confusing signals coming from the federal administration, we have seen that many groups feel pressure to self-censor, to avoid risking their federal support,\u201d Cumbo said. \u201cThis is deeply troubling.\u201d<\/p>\n The most important action the department could take in the present moment, Cumbo continued, is \u201cto reaffirm our support for cultural programming in its full diversity,\u201d but cautioned that the agency could not totally replace federal funding. The DCLA has, however, increased its budget for local arts councils by 15% to reach small organizations and local artists. The commissioner also pointed to the newly formed Create in Place office, which provides support in navigating city legal requirements and looking for affordable space.\u00a0<\/p>\n