Trump-led federal agency revokes funding for LGBTQ festival, citing lack of alignment with administration's priorities.
Defiant Theater Fights for LGBTQ Art amidst Federal Funding Cancellation
A yearly theater extravaganza, the Criminal Queerness Festival, geared towards exhibiting works from playwrights hailing from nations that criminalize or censor the LGBTQ community, has turned to crowd-funding online in response to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) revoking the festival’s New York-based grant.
The independent federal agency bestowed a $20,000 grant upon the National Queer Theater, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit theater company, for its 2025 Criminal Queerness Festival. This was the third consecutive year the company secured an NEA grant, making up approximately 20% of the festival's total budget, as reported by Jess Ducey, co-chair of the company’s board.
On a fateful Friday, the NEA revoked funding for several organizations, including the National Queer Theater, as per an email sent that day. The revocation letter stated that the agency intended to focus resources on projects that reflected the nation's artistic heritage and creativity, as mandated by the President. With the National Queer Theater's festival not aligning with these priorities, the grant was terminated.
The NEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the agency, several of its senior leaders have stepped down this week, following President Donald Trump's budget proposal that would eliminate the NEA's funding (The Washington Post).
"It's heartbreaking and frustrating, as we're a tiny organization," stated Ducey, who uses the gender-neutral pronouns they/them. "That grant is a crucial element to our financial structure."
Left scrambling, Ducey mentioned that the festival, set for June 11-28 with three powerhouse plays lined up with settings in Uganda, Indonesia, and Cuba, has already hired a production manager, commenced casting and scheduling rehearsals. A considerable portion of the grant was earmarked for paying the 50 artists engaged for the festival. If the company fails to secure alternative funding, it might be forced to compromise on set design for performances, pay artists late, or borrow money intended for programs like Staging Pride, a free after-school theater program for LGBTQ youth.
A GoFundMe page has been launched in an attempt to recoup the lost grant funds.
In Other Queer Headlines:
- Iconic power couple Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg open up about their sexuality and marital journey (nbc-out)
- Florida indie bookstore faces backlash following removal of LGBTQ titles from shelves (nbc-out)
Sources:
[1] https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-national-queer-theater[2] https://www.nbcnews.com/pride/amp/ncna1281732[5] https://www.arts.gov/news/2020/grant-application-archive
- The National Queer Theater, in response to the Federal funding cancellation from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has turned to crowd-funding online to support the Criminal Queerness Festival, a theater extravaganza showcasing works from LGBTQ playwrights.
- The NEA's revocation of funding for the National Queer Theater affected approximately 20% of the festival's budget, highlighting the importance of these funds for the financially struggling organization.
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Education Association (NEA) have not commented on the controversy surrounding the canceled grant and the overall focus of the NEA's funding.
- The 250th anniversary edition of the Criminal Queerness Festival, featuring three powerhouse plays with settings in Uganda, Indonesia, and Cuba, faces potential setbacks in production and payroll for the 50 artists engaged for the festival without alternative funding.
- In other queer headlines, iconic power couple Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg shared their personal stories and experiences regarding their sexuality and marriage, while a Florida indie bookstore faced backlash following the removal of LGBTQ titles from its shelves.
