Ending Grants for Culture Nationwide, the Trump Administration is Devastating Arts Programs and the Vibrancy that Nourishes Society

Gutting Funds for the Arts Will Further Entrench Historical Inequalities, Says Executive Director of the Artists at Risk Connection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

6 May 2025

(NEW YORK)— The National Endowment for the Arts’ termination of a vast swath of grants is a devastating blow to the cultural sector, including the literary arts. Like so many fellow culture organizations, partner PEN America had their NEA grant to the World Voice Festival terminated on Friday in the midst of the annual event that this year brought more than 100 writers from 35 countries to New York and Los Angeles to celebrate international literature. 

 Julie Trébault, executive director of the Artists at Risk Connection, said: “The current administration’s decision to push ahead with sweeping cuts to grant programs which sustain the entire federally funded cultural sector is deeply destructive, and will have tragic consequences for the country’s artists and cultural workers. The NEA has long served as a lifeline for marginalized voices—and the artists among them—and the full-scale gutting of the agency will only serve to further entrench historical inequalities. This dismantling undermines not only the arts and creative free expression, but also the democracy that underpins it.”

PEN America’s Co-CEO Summer Lopez said:  “The arts nourish and sustain us; the Trump administration is starving them to death. In diverse communities across the country, we are witnessing a reprehensible assault on the vibrancy of American cultural life through these drastic funding cuts. We should have no illusions about their impact— fewer plays produced, fewer books published or translated, the erasure of community arts and theater programs, and the collapse of a cultural infrastructure that sustains and enables the arts in our communities and generates millions of dollars in revenue for them. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues across the cultural sector in opposition to these cuts and call on members of Congress to ensure the preservation of the NEA and cultural agencies.” 

The World Voices Festival was co-founded by PEN America’s former president, acclaimed author Salman Rushdie, among others, in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks to foster dialogue across borders as the United States became more culturally isolated. The festival celebrated its 20th year with discussions, readings, and art installations that drew several thousands of book lovers to New York City’s Greenwich Village and Los Angeles over its four days. 

About Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)

ARC is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues. Learn more at artistsatriskconnection.org

About PEN America

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Julie Trébault
Executive Director
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
+1 646.860.5446