Contact Your U.S. Senator: Increase NEA Funding!

Did you know that the U.S. Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee recommended $157 million for both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities for Fiscal Year 2020.  Sounds like a lot of money, right?  Well, it’s actually $10.5 million less than what the U.S. House approved in May and what advocates asked for on Arts Advocacy Day ($167.5 million).  Arts funding is actually at risk in the federal budget!  Mainstage Center for the Arts, through the NewJersey State Council on the Arts funding, receives money through the federal budget. 

Since the Senate and House have different funding levels that are being approved, there will be a conference later this year to reconcile these numbers.  Why is this important to you?  You can take action by contacting your U.S. Senators to request that the higher numbers approved by the U.S. House is also adopted by the U.S. Senate.

Arts funding is a small percentage of the federal budget but greatly impacts the children at Mainstage Center for the Arts, as you know.  Kindly consider contacting your U.S. Senator and explain this to them.  The Arts Action Center/Arts Action Fund has a template you can use.