ArtWorks is the latest arts organization to have their National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant rescinded.
In a press release on Thursday, the nonprofit revealed that a $100,000 federal grant for an art project in Avondale has been rescinded. The “Our Town” grant would have paid for the creation of a public art project: a new gateway to the CROWN Trail. The new 34-mile urban trail loop aims to connect Greater Cincinnati communities and existing trails, such as Wasson Way, Ohio River Trail, Little Miami Scenic Trail, Mill Creek Greenway Trail, and Canal Bikeway.
In addition to the potential loss of public art funding, ArtWorks emphasized that the grant’s elimination would have a broader community impact, saying much of the funding was designated for hiring artists and workers to complete the project.
“We are concerned not only for the dismantling of our local project but the larger effort to eliminate the NEA from next year’s federal budget. Defunding the arts has devastating consequences for young people, working artists and the vitality of communities across the country,” says Colleen Houston, CEO and artistic director of ArtWorks. “This isn’t just a Cincinnati story — it’s a national crisis for the creative economy. When the arts are defunded, jobs are lost. Both our economy and quality of life suffer.”
ArtWorks is one of many arts institutions across the country that have recently had their NEA grants rescinded. According to the New York Times, the NEA notified numerous organizations via email that their previously awarded grants were being rescinded, just hours after President Donald Trump proposed eliminating the agency’s funding in his upcoming federal budget.The following Monday, a group of senior NEA officials and other employees at the agency resigned.
“The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the president,” the emails from the NEA read. “Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities.”
ArtWorks says that they plan to appeal NEA’s decision, but urged the community to contact their U.S. representatives to ask them to sign on to the FY2026 NEA support letter in Congress. “The future of arts funding — and jobs for thousands — depends on it,” ArtWorks says.
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 13, 2025.