$13.5+ MILLION IN ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDS CUT, 720 JOBS AT RISK IN NEW ENGLAND
Image of five festival goers in black and white.
A February 2026 regional survey shows that arts and cultural organizations in New England reported losing more than $13.5 million in federal, state, foundation, and individual funding in 2025.
Those losses coincided with 2025 grant cancellations and terminations from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
More than $11.4 million from 42 federal grants were cut from 36 organizations after they were previously awarded, according to 125 arts and cultural organizations that participated in the survey conducted by MASSCreative, Arts4NH, Connecticut Arts Alliance, Cultural Alliance of Maine, New England Foundation for the Arts, and Vermont Creative Network. States also shared losses amounting to $869,730 in state funding, $669,000 in decreased foundation giving, and $553,329 in donor support.
This is the second survey completed by these organizations to assess the impacts that federal funding cuts have had on the region’s creative economy. The first survey, completed in July 2025, revealed that 89 organizations had reported $4.2 million in lost funding, with 73% of that funding deriving from cancelled or terminated NEA grants.
“These cuts are intended to dismantle New England’s arts and cultural ecosystem. Residents and policymakers should take notice. Federal grants created jobs and social programs that generated economic value and community cohesion across the region. The loss of these investments will result in real economic hurt for our communities and put additional strain on local and state budgets and private philanthropy.”
The Trump Administration once again proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services in their FY2027 budget. Congress has repeatedly rejected these proposals from the Administration, but arts leaders say the continued uncertainty makes long-term planning increasingly difficult for organizations that provide vital public services.
“As the demographically oldest and most rural state in the country, Maine has a vision to attract 75,000 new workers by 2030, grow our tourism economy, bolster literacy and learning outcomes, and attract new businesses. To achieve these essential goals, we must prioritize lifelong cultural access regardless of income or geography, and keep our state vibrant and connected year-round. Providing creative and cultural experiences to build community and stimulate economic activity requires constant innovation and development. Federal and state grantmaking are essential to this cycle, and are leveraged by grantees to attain even greater magnitudes of private and philanthropic support.”
Organizations based in Connecticut reported the steepest losses of each of the states, stating they lost a combined $5,270,066 in federal, state, foundation, and individual giving. They are followed by Vermont which reported $2,978,248 in lost funding, Maine at $2,274,020 , New Hampshire at $936,000, and Massachusetts at $915,817.
The survey offers a glimpse into the future ramifications of federal funding cuts as well: organizations shared that as a result of the elimination of 28 federal grant programs they previously received funding from, they are prevented from pursuing an estimated $8.4 million in future funding. Of the grant programs that still exist, 45 organizations reported they are no longer eligible to pursue approximately $7.14 million in federal funding because of changing eligibility or compliance requirements. Lost federal funding is increasing dependence upon local governments: 67 organizations (53.6%) stated an increased reliance upon state or local funding sources to make up the difference.
“Federal disinvestment has impacted every aspect of our daily lives across all sectors, and this constriction has led to hard decisions at a local philanthropic level for what to support in our communities. Art is often, sadly, the canary in the coal mine and is not treated as the integral social infrastructure that it is. If New England is serious about combatting growing inequality, civic division, our aging population, and the loneliness epidemic, then we must be serious about funding the cultural glue that brings our community together and makes New England a vibrant place to live, work, and play.”
The report not only reveals significant financial losses for the sector, but also widespread effects on jobs, educational programming, public services, and community access to arts and culture.
Throughout New England, 720 jobs that were fully or partially funded through federal and state funding have been impacted: 486 of those jobs were supported through federal funding, while 234 jobs were supported through state funding. Massachusetts reported the highest impact on jobs with 171 employees impacted. They are followed by New Hampshire with 148, Connecticut with 142, Vermont with 126, and Maine with 49. Administrative and management staff were the most affected full-time positions (32.9% affected by federal grants, 35.1% affected by state grants), while artistic and program staff represented the largest share of impacted part-time positions (28.3% affected by federal grants, 35.3% affected by state grants).
“Whatever economic and influential success this country has seen throughout our history, it has been built and paid for by the people. It is the obligation and responsibility of our elected governments to reinvest the wealth we have gained back into the people which they claim to serve. Despite the data proven argument that the arts have a significant return on investment in community spending, property values, decrease in mental health issues and support for veterans, we are once again informed we are a “nice to have” and any support for our sector is decimated. We matter to our communities, to our states, to our identity as Americans, and we matter to your voters.”
Beyond impacts on operating budgets and employment, lost funding streams will impact essential public programming and services. 30 organizations indicated they are decreasing their programs, exhibits, productions, or public services due to federal or state budget cuts. Of the respondents surveyed, many had used previously awarded funding to support the following vulnerable populations:
Youth and students (21.6%)
Aging populations (12.8%)
Low-income communities (20%)
Rural (14.4%), suburban (13.6%) and urban (16.8%) residents
BIPOC communities (17.6%)
Immigrant or refugee communities (10.4%)
Organizations are increasingly turning to state governments, local municipalities, foundations, and individual donors to fill widening budget gaps. More than half of respondents (53.2%) reported increasing their reliance on state or local funding sources after losing federal grants. However, these funders are experiencing rising pressure to backfill federal funding cuts to other key sectors and their own budgets are strained. Federal funding decisions are influencing the broader philanthropic landscape as priorities shift away from arts and culture. In the past year, 29 organizations (23%) reported a $7,332,051 approximate net change in foundation funding throughout New England. While private philanthropy remains essential, survey findings indicate it cannot consistently replace the scale, reliability, and long-term stability provided by federal investment.
At the same time, organizations are experiencing volatility in private philanthropy, with many reporting declines in foundation and donor support. 34 organizations (27.2%) reported a decrease in individual donor funding, with major donors (32.4%), small donors (39.4%), and memberships (14.1%) accounting for significant individual contribution decreases.
National data shows uneven volatility across the sector, with alarming emerging philanthropic trends: SMUData Arts shares that contributed revenue to arts and cultural organizations across the country fell by 30%, with every source declining from 2023 to 2024, attributing the decrease in contributed revenue to dwindled COVID-19 pandemic relief. Organizations are left to confront the simultaneous conclusion of federal relief and elimination of further federal funding opportunities. Meanwhile, expenses are increasing for organizations: paid and free arts attendance are growing, organizations are tightening budgets including reducing staff, and 44% of organizations recorded running deficits in 2024.
“NEFA is proud to partner with the New England state arts advocacy organizations on this work. The impact of federal grant cancellations on the region’s lost jobs and funding confirms how essential the sector is, both economically and socially, to the region’s infrastructure. To that end, we urge Congress to maintain strong federal support for the National Endowment for the Arts and preserve the 40% allocation for the federal-state partnership in the FY27 budget. ”
State arts advocacy leaders are urging state, local, and private philanthropic funders to prioritize supporting the creative sector and creative workers.
